Snail

Making snails edible is not easy. The process begins with the starving of the snails for 7 to 10 days until they have been purged of anything toxic they may have eaten. This is done in a box with holes which give them air and through which water can be poured at intervals to keep them moist. For the final two days the condemned snails eat a hearty meal of flour to plump them up. They are then soaked and tossed in sea salt to draw out any sticky unpleasantness, before their execution in a boiling vat of water flavoured with a sharp white wine or wine vinegar, bay leaves, salt, peppercorns and thyme or rosemary, in which they are left to simmer for two hours. They then have to be drawn from their shells and have their stomach sacs removed.