Not So Fast

Snails aren't just nutritious, they're also quite delicious

- OWEN DUGAN

We’ve got to get over our aversion to eating land snails. They’re healthful, high in protein, calcium and other nutrients and low in fat. They have a low carbon footprint and eat just about anything, including dirt to strengthen their shells. They take to a great number of treatments and cuisines. And they can be delicious.

First, let’s dispel the stereotype of snails as a French food; while escargots en persillade—in a garlic-parsley butter —may be the first snail dish many of us have consumed, these animals have long been savored across the world in myriad preparations. The oldest archeological example of snails raised for food dates to as many as 30,000 years ago.

Snails are in vogue at the moment, both as a general source of protein and as a star ingredient in dishes. Semma, a New York City restaurant specializing in south Indian cuisine, serves Peconic snails with ginger, tamarind, coconut and dosas. They’re perfect in pastas and risottos, too. And today there are several types of snails on the market, each boasting nutrients as well as distinctive, elevated flavors and textures.