Make the meal: Escargots

Part of a limited series on unique dishes for the holidays

As I mentioned last week, I thought I'd do something a little different for these next few Monday subscriber-only posts and write about a number of my favorite foods and how to make them. This week I am re-posting an essay I wrote last year on snails. These often maligned morsels are one of my favorite low-fuss fancy meals. Read on to learn why. ~JRC

---

Snail. It’s what’s for dinner!

---

Snails - those shelled garden mollusks that come out when it rains. To the uninitiated, these slow, slimy creatures look far from edible. But to many cultures around the world, notably the French, they are a delicacy. 

Snails, when eaten, are known as escargots. And those snails to be eaten, escargot. Whatever you call them, they are downright delicious when prepared properly. 

If you've never tried snails, I highly recommend you do. 

---

Snails, on the scale of adventurous eating, I would say, are about a "4 out of 10." For reference, cheese pizza is a "1," and raw monkey brains would be a "10." I've never gone full-ten, and I don't recommend you do either - more on that at the end. But if you rarely venture beyond "1-3" with your meals, escargots might be a fun way to try something new. 

---

Snails, like many animal foods, are rather bland alone. They somehow taste of both the woods and the sea, but not very much of either. Yet lather them in butter, garlic, herbs, and salt, and they transform into a culinary delight. 

Here's how I make them.