The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1907-07-03
Raising Snails For the Table
BY wALpoN FAwCETT.

1t Is only within comparatively rp-
cent years that the worlds caterers
have made snail meat one OF their
standard dishes, but 1t Is recorded
that snail culture was practiced by
the Romans way back IN the time of
Caesar. Again, during the Middle
Ages the snail industry won n strong
foothold in Switzerland and along
the Danube-one town producing
100000 snails every year
In France, the industry had as
sumed goodly proportions some time
before the French Revolution and 1t
has been expanding ever since.
Burgundy is to-day the great seat
of snail culture.
Most of the snail meat which finds
It's way to the dinner tables OF civil
izedt peoples now comes from France,
but II Is probable that In the near
future the United States will have its
own snaileries where the little anil
mails can be raised for market, just as
are squads or frogs, for the demand
is steadily increasing and snail cul-
ture" is not difficult.
The common or vineyard variety
of snail (Which is the species uni
versally grown for table use) subsists
entirely on leaves, nature having pro-
vided It for the purpose with hard,
horny tongue. 1t is fairly prolific.
laying from fifty to sixty eggs an
nually.
The newly hatched snails have
very delicate shells, but they harden
quickly when exposed to the air, and
so rapid is their growth that they are
large enough for the market within
six weeks or two months after hatch
ing. The principal difficulty in rails
ing them is the extreme precautlon
which must be exercised to guard
against their destruction by birds,
toads and insects.
The snails for table use are bred
ments known as "snalleries." The
ideal site for a snail park must have
a damp and calcareous soil.
The tract Is enclosed by fence OF
wire or smoothly planed boards
coated with tar and staunch enough
In construction to withstand any
wind. The boards penetrate the soil
TO depth of a half foot or more and
at the level of the ground is shelf
like barrier to prevent the snails
from burrowing under.
The snails with which new snail
t., al, L.,
new home on rainy evening, and
are Immediately covered for the start
with from two to four inches of moss
or straw.
The average snailery accommo-
dates at least ten thousand.
Snails "in captivity" are quite fas-
tidious and must be supplied with ap-
petizing food. This usually consists
of lettuce, romaine, cabbage and vine
leaves. AS the little animals are noe
turnal in habits, their food is spread
| out for them just before sundown.
After the snails have grown quite
fat on their luxurious fare they retire
within their shells and cork them
selves up, so to speak, by closing the
openings with a thin substance. At
this iuncture they are taken from the
yard which has been their home and
are placed on trays or screens which
are ranged in huge storehouses and
there remain for several months
without food of any kind.
When, in the opinion of the expert
ho t,n
rived, the trays are removed from the
storage houses and the snails are
sorted over by women, who throw
| out those which are dead and remove
the "corks" from the living.
All earthly matter is then brushed
off the shell. Next comes thorough
washing, and then the cooking-for
which process the snails are placed
in huge pots, holding each about ten
thousand.
The cooking is almost a continuous
operation at large snailery, for to
reach the consumer in good condi-
tion it is considered desirable that the
snais should be cooked the same day
that they are packed for shipment
One Of the final processes in pre-
pairing for market is the cleaning and
filling. For this the snail is taken
out of the shell; the shell is dried and
the meat reduced to paste form; then
the shell is refilled with paste, placed
between layers OF unsalted butter,
seasoned with parsley, chervil, etc.,
finely chopped.
The shells with their delicious con-
tents are finally packed in wooden
boxes for shipment.-TheC Caterer.