Cooking snails

Take your Snayles (they are no way so as in Pottage) and wash them very well in many waters, and when you have done put them in a White Earthen Pan, or very wide Dish, and put as much water to them as will cover them, and then set your Dish or Pan on some coales, that it may heat by little and little, and then the Snayles will come out of the shells and so dye, and being dead, take them out and wash them very well in Water and salt twice or thrice over; then put them in a Pipkin with Water and Salt, and let them boyle a little while in that, so take away the rude slime they have, then take them out againe and put them in a Cullender; then take excellent sallet Oyle and beat it a great while upon the fire in a frying Pan, and when it boyls very fast, slice two or three Onyons in it, and let them fry well, then put the Snayles in the Oyle and Onyons, and let them stew together a little, then put the Oyle, Onyons, and Snayles altogether in an earthen Pipkin of a fit size for your Snayles, and put as much warm water to them as will serve to boyle them and make the Pottage and season them with Salt, and so let them boyle three or foure hours; then mingle Parsley, Pennyroyall, Fennell, Tyme, and such Herbs, and when they are minced put them in a Morter and beat them as you do for Green-sauce, and put in some crums of bread soaked in the Pottage of the Snayles, and then dissolve it all in the Morter with a little Saffron and Cloves well beaten, and put in as much Pottage into the Morter as will make the Spice and bread and Herbs like thickening for a pot, so put them all into the Snayles and let them stew in it, and when you serve them up, you may squeeze into the Pottage a Lemon, and put in a little Vinegar, or if you put in a Clove of Garlick among the Herbs, and beat it with them in the Morter, it will not tast the worse; serve them up in a Dish with sippets of Bread in the bottom. The Pottage is very nourishing, and they use them that are apt to a Consumption.

The Compleat Cook, Nathaniel Brook, 1658

Reptile Food

In every clutch of snails there are some that never grow properly and can't be sold for human consumption so I sell them for reptile food. There are some lizards that like snails: skink, tegu and monitors. I believe some turtles eat them too.

I sell the snails in small quantities: 100 gm by weight and you can choose what size you want to suit your particular reptile pet. If you want larger quantities that can usually be arranged - just email and ask. www.snailfarm.org.uk

Of Molluscs and Me

Today I was copied in to a discussion between two conservationists concerned about the fate of Helix pomatia on the Kent Downs. The problem seems to be predation, possibly by the glow worm, though this is not definitely established. The numbers of Roman snails, as we call them, have fallen in a particular location - lots of empty shells have been found. Romans snails are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and glow worms are also rare. So if one rare species is killing the other rare species this leaves conservationists with an interesting dilemma. Is it legal to protect the snails by destroying the glow worms? I look forward to hearing the answer as it is relevant to the struggle I have to protect my snails from the attention of shrews. Further information on Helix pomatia from http://roman-snail.co.uk

Of Molluscs and Me

I've been experimenting with organic coir blocks from Fertile Fibre: www.fertilefibre.com. I'm using it in the polytunnel in the baby snail pens partly because the compost worms like it and it lightens the soil which can get very compacted. But I also like it because it holds water well to keep the humidity up and I am all in favour of farming solutions that avoid the use of peat. It is nice and light to handle too. The only downside is that it's imported ...but if we wait a few years we may even be growing our own coconut trees!

Snails with sobrasada mash

A new recipe for the book given to me by A Kentish Kitchen.

Sobrasada is a soft Mallorcan sausage, like pate and flavoured with Paprika to give it a deep red colour. You could make your own English version of pork pate but don't forget the paprika!

Mash potatoes with some sobrasada sausage and pour over it at the point of serving, cooked snails in garlic and herb butter.

Sweet potato can be used instead of ordinary potatoes if you prefer.

Of Molluscs and Me

I caught myself photographing worms today. These Dendrabaenas are fascinating because they seem to like climbing. They are supposed to be cleaning up the soil in the snail pens for me but every day I find more up at the top under the lid. The snails collect together in clumps and if I pick up a clump there is nearly always a worm curled up in there too.

Of Molluscs and Me

I can't believe it is so long since I wrote a blog. I just love this picture of baby snails. It is the translucent bodies and shells and the pale grey streak running down the antennae which I guess is the nervous system connected to their eyes. I'm taking orders now for mini snail farms with 6 cute babies for Christmas gifts.