Every time I have a chance to find a restaurant that serves them, I do enjoy an appetizer of snails.
My favorite way is with a parsley, garlic and butter sauce.
I was delighted to read Take-out Parisian snails by Doreen Carvajal (Globespotters) and find out about La Maison de l"Escargot in Paris (sorry their site is only in French).
She usually buys her snails from farmers who she says disapprove of the high prices charged by the establishment but very few places carry them it seems these days.
She had to visit La Maison de l'Escargot due to an "escargot emergency for a celebratory dinner, I ventured out in search of the maison where I half expected to see live snails crawling around in basins and steaming pots of bouillon. Instead I found an airy shop with wicker baskets stocked with two common varieties of wild French snails - bourgogne and petits gris - rated and priced according to different calibers. Prices ranged between 6 to 12 euros a dozen".
She also mentions the love for the place that Herve Bizeuil (a food writer turned winemaker) has.
He is the man behind Le Clos Des Fees.
In Mon Ami l'Escargot (French Only) he reminisces on his many visits there.
Especially a late morning stop after une nuit bien arrosee when he cured some of his hangover with a serving of snails with muscadet accompanied with bread to soak up the sauce.
Besides snails, the store also sells Duck Foie Gras (whole) from the Landes and Jambon Persille from Bourgogne.
Related: Witches and Wizards, Halloween and Wine Number 2: Les Sorcieres 2005
(Clos des Fees)
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