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Villageways
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| Location: | United Kingdom |
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Posted: 11 March 2008 07:17 am | 1st Post |
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Most of us think of snails as Gallic, yet, pre-Industrial Revolution, “wall fish” were a regular part of the British diet, popularised by the Romans. Over the years, they became another of the foods we once gathered from the wild that faded from our repertoire – until Heston Blumenthal’s snail porridge put them back on the menu.
Are there different varieties of snail? In Europe, there are two main eating varieties: the Helix aspersa (the common garden snail or petit-gris) and the Helix pomatia (the Burgundy or Roman snail). Those grown commercially in Britain tend to be the slightly larger, faster-growing Helix aspersa maxima (or gros-gris).
How are snails farmed? In indoor or outdoor systems or a combination of both, with breeding, nursery and fattening areas. Since snails are hermaphrodites, they can all lay eggs, which hatch into tiny snails, complete with shell. Andrew Downes of South West Snails, a small farm based in Devon that supplies leading restaurants around the country, houses his snails in polytunnels. “It’s as if they are in the open – they get fresh air but more protection, which allows them to grow a bit faster. And on sunny days, we open the tunnels.” They are fed on a mixture of cereal and herbs, such as marjoram, thyme and parsley. According to Downes, a snail lover who quit his job in advertising to take over the farm with business partner Andrew Hogg two years ago, “The herbs give the full, earthy, peaty flavour you’d expect from wild snails.” After 3-5 months, they are the size of a 50p piece and are then refrigerated “so they retract and are in semi-hibernation before they’re put into the cooking pot”.
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piggybreeder
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Posted: 11 March 2008 08:34 am | 2nd Post |
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Hmmm with the short supply of snails around the country its a change for a few small suppliers to start up I think,,,,must have a look and see if i can set something up.
http://www.bramblescroft.com
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Villageways
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Posted: 11 March 2008 10:59 am | 3rd Post |
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Food for thought, so to speak, then 
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