Leading on from 'snails' discussion on this thread;http://www.mamtaskitchen.com/board/showthread.php?thread_id=12682 ,I thought I will start a new thread on snails and their suitability for the table. Here are some sites to look through;

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/article6381462.ece

http://www.landscapejuice.com/2007/08/heliculture---a.html

http://recipes.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Snails,_Edible_Recipe

http://www.zephyrus.co.uk/ediblesnails.html

http://www.arkive.org/garden-snail/helix-aspersa/info.html

So, come on, who has got the guts to try them out? You have to make a record of every step for all of us to see ;-)!

gulp !... thanks for that...

Steve

Most people (including me) feel squeamish about these slimy, wriggly gastropods, but it is getting popular, there must be something to it. I may be able to eat it cut into thin stripes and stir fried. But whole boiled...no way.

When I was picking the things off the plants the other night I was obviously getting their defence mechanism (the slime) on my hands. It took me a good 5-10 minutes of washing in hot water with washing up liquid to get it off ! Its like when you've been using "caustic" and it makes your hands soft and soapy that won't go away.... this is reason number 1 why I'm not likely to jump at the chance of eating them !...

I would also think that its not a good idea to just pick them, wash them and cook with them unless you know where they have been etc... I believe you are supposed to starve them for several days to make sure their guts are clean ? I'd also wonder how safe they are considering they could have been next door eating plants spray with insecticides or any other contaminents ?

Steve

Yes, you are supposed to starve them (poor things, what a way to die!) or feed corn meal, to clear out their 'system'. My husband loves snails, but I have never cooked them!

This is an interesting thread; http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/mbfood/F2670471?thread=6629258

I would imagine them to be tastless.