French Snails also known as Escargots
France is known worldwide as a land of snail-eaters. However, many believe that the Romans are in fact responsible for setting this trend. A delicacy traditionally associated with the region of Burgundy, rest assured that snails are not eaten raw! There are many steps to preparing this meal. The snails are first dried for days, thoroughly cleansed and boiled in water, put in a mixture of white wine, broth, carrots, shallots, and herbs, and eventually cooked. They are also typically served with snail butter (also known as Burgundy butter) which consists of fine butter, shallots, chopped parsley, and garlic. For those who would want to pick them directly in the wild, be warned that some snails are not edible! While there are over 100 different types of edible escargots, two types are mainly eaten in France: the “Petit-Gris” (Little-Gray) and the “Escargot de Bourgogne” (Burgundy snail).