Les escargots

J'ADORE les escargots.  Really, I mean that.   I not only love snails for the eating, but I love how cute they are.  I have a few adorable snail tchatzkies around my classroom and one that lives in our flower garden during the spring months.  However, today, I want to tell you how much I love eating them.  It has been a LONG time since I have enjoyed this delicacy that tends to gross people out.  Our local French restaurant closed down which saddened both myself and my family.  It also tells you something about the lack of options for dining out in this town.  Green Bay and I have a love-hate relationship.  Anyway, back to les escargots.  Most people ask me if the snails are slimy.  These poor souls, bless their hearts, are extremely misinformed about the utter deliciousness of this sluggy little creature in its adorable curly shell.

First of all, it is hard for me to really explain if the texture is slimy or not, because, you see, I am usually trying to contain the drool to my mouth as I raise the delicious little morsel to my lips.  I prefer my escargot wallowing in butter, garlic and a few tantalizing green herbs.  Having escargot served in their shells in quaint and part novelty, but I LOVE eating them out of these special little ceramic dishes that have deep little wells where they stay warm and adequately swimming in butter until I am ready to savor each heavenly bite. 

Now, I do tell people that if they don't like seafood, then chances are pretty good that they won't like escargots.  It's not that they are fishy, but they have that same texture--kind of like a properly cooked shrimp.  However, I NEVER deter people from trying something new.  I really do feel MOST food deserves some kind of chance, especially anything swimming in butter.

So, with that in mind, I am going to offer my students an opportunity to try les escargots.  Since we don't have a wonderful place to go and eat them, I will bring the escargots to them.  Of course, these are of the frozen variety, but they are already prepped and stuffed back in the shell for full novelty mode.  I will report back on the out come and describe as best as I can any contortions of disgust on their faces.