THE STRONG HELIX POMATIA
The Helix pomatia is a relatively large snail with a light-colored shell, also called the “gros blanc”. It takes about two years for a gros blanc to mature. They can only be harvested once a year, in the springtime after the mating season. In the second half of the year, there is already too much lime in their meat, stored to grow a lid for hibernation. When it gets cold, this kind of snail crawls into an earthen hole and goes to sleep. It doesn’t come out until the weather begins to warm in the springtime.
The Helix pomatia has a deliciously nutty flavor. It is ideally suited for our popular classic, Vienna Escargot gratin with herb butter.