Copse snails taste delicious. No, really, they do.

Helsingin Sanomat gets an escargot chef to serve up some Arianta arbustorum

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By Minna Passi in Porvoo
     
      As reported by Helsingin Sanomat not long ago, abundant amounts - to the point of nuisance - of copse snails (Arianta arbustorum), have been found this summer in Orimattila near Lahti.
      Copse snails, a medium-sized species of land snail, are found living in scrubland, where they dine on just about anything possible.
      Helsingin Sanomat had some snails picked, after which they had to pass a fasting period for several days in plastic boxes with holes on the lid in order that they empty their intestines. The only food they were given was bran, designed to... well, you get the idea.
      In addition, they had to be sprayed with water a couple of times a day.
     
The next step was to take the snails to Porvoo, another place with plenty of snails to be found, in order to have them prepared at Restaurant Timbaali.
      Chef Teemu Laakko gave a solemn assurance that once prepared the snails would taste as good as the Italian escargots, which are known as famous gourmet fare and are a permanent presence on the Timbaali menu.
      He said that the restaurant has prepared copse snails for some guests once before.
     
Even though the statement was made by an expert, it took a while to digest it.
      Seeing the things crapping furiously in their plastic containers during their fast did not exactly whet the appetite.
     
After the snails have been cooked in boiling salted water for 5 to 8 minutes, they are left to cool down for a while.
      Now Laakko starts removing them from their shells with a toothpick.
      Copse snails are much smaller than escargots, and it is quite an effort to handle them, which is why Timbaali does not have these creatures on the menu, Laakko notes.
      Next, the molluscs are put on a layer of sea salt for some 30 minutes to disgorge the excess moisture. Afterwards they are rinsed and put into a delicious hot bouillon spiked with some white wine.
      After the snails have been simmering for 30 to 60 minutes, they will be placed in oven dishes and seasoned with a mixture of parsley, garlic, Parmesan, and butter or alternatively with some Roquefort cheese.
      The snails are baked in the oven (200°C) for 6 to 10 minutes until the spices bubble and boil nicely. They can be served with bread, which also helps to soak up the sauce.
      The portions look suspiciously good in the oven, while the smell is not too shabby, either.
     
The taste of copse snails is a complete surprise.
      Delicious.
      These cannot possibly be the same creatures as were seen causing havoc in the Orimattila scrubland.
      Lunch guests Peter Ahti and Stefan Ström from Helsinki also volunteer as guinea-pigs. Both men are professional cooks, which is bound to guarantee an expert opinion.
      ”These are even more delectable than ordinary escargots, as they are smaller. These snails are so good that we simply have to clear the plate”, says Ahti, who works as a chef in one of the restaurants at Helsinki’s Wanha Satama.
      Even Stefan Ström, who works at Restaurant Rafla, is pleased with the experience, and the snails are eaten up with a hearty appetite.
     
One has to believe that if prepared by a skilled cook, copse snails can taste excellent.
      However, one cannot recommend cooking these snails for those who appreciate fast food.
      ”It probably takes a whole day to prepare and cook these for the first time”, says Laakko.
      Besides, there is another risk involved in the preparing of copse snails.
      During the fasting period it is possible to create a troubling affection towards the creatures you are about to devour.
     
Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 21.9.2008


See also:
  Video clip: How to prepare copse snails (in Finnish)

Links:
  Copse snail, Arianta arbustorum (Wikipedia)
  Timbaali, Porvoo

MINNA PASSI / Helsingin Sanomat
minna.passi@hs.fi