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Escargots

By Jeff Dowler, CRS

Real Estate Agent with eXp Realty of California, Inc. CA DRE #01490977

April 03, 2011 03:24 PM

Escargots

For the uninitiated, "escargots" is French for snails.

Quite a delicacy, with butter and garlic.

We have them in our California garden. The photo shows one (of many today) climbing the outside of a small planter).

Escargot in our Calrsbad garden in Southerbn California I DON'T eat them, but the lizards like them as do the crows. And I will admit to having escargots many years ago in a couple of classy French restaurants. They were quite good. And I recall seeing them on the menu of a number of Michelin-starred places we saw in our trips to Paris.

Here's a recipe.

But I'm not sure they are the same as the critters crawling around my Southern California garden!

And now that I see them creeping about I know I don't want to think about devouring them.

It's sorta like eating a pet chicken or rabbit.

I remember having dinner with my daughter, who was at USC in LA, a few years ago at a great outdoor eatery in Marina del Ray - the food and the weather were sublime, but the snails crawling all over the plants adjoining the table were a bit off-putting, and they kept getting closer to the table as we ate. We had a good laugh but it was an invasion that for us Easterners was a bit over-the-top.

Snails seems to be another one of the hazards of gardening here in Southern California - they crawl all over the place, and nibble on lots of plants (i.e., devour them). They are easy to relocate, fortunately (pick them up and throw them), but they are a nuisance. Gardening shops sell stuff that supposedly keeps them away.

Somehow it's now hard to equate this gardening nuisance with a French delicacy. Go figure.

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Larry Bettag

Cherry Creek Mortgage Illinois Residential Mortgage License LMB #0005759 Cherry Creek Mortgage NMLS #: 3001 - Saint Charles, IL

Vice-President of National Production

Jeff...I'm all over these critters! Can you say yum???

Apr 03, 2011 03:25 PM

Jeff Dowler, CRS

eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA

The Southern California Relocation Dude

Larry

Ha ha. Well the escargot swere quite tasty.

Jeff

Apr 03, 2011 03:27 PM

Margaret Goss

@Properties - Winnetka, IL

Chicago's North Shore & Winnetka Real Estate

Oh yuck - I remember stepping on those crunchy shells by accident when I was growing up. But here's a thought - you can move to the Chicago area and deal with slugs - essentially a snail without a shell! Doubly gross!

Apr 03, 2011 03:30 PM

Ellie McIntire

Ellicott City Clarksville Howard County Maryland Real Estate - Ellicott City, MD

Luxury service in Central Maryland

Not my cup of tea either. With or without shells!

Apr 03, 2011 03:31 PM

Elizabeth Byrne

Keller Williams Realty - Arlington, VA

Arlington Virginia Real Estate

Jeff, I had escargot a few times, but can think of many other dishes I would rather have. Crabs, lobsters, shrimp, for example. After your experiences with snails, I will probably not have any more escargot as my appetizer. I hope you get them under control in your garden,

Apr 03, 2011 03:36 PM

Emcee M. Arah

Remax Excellence - Silver Spring, MD - Silver Spring, MD

Realtor w/Architectural Dimension, AHWD CRS B-Arch

Very nice real estate tie-in, Jeff! You do an excellent job of that. It feels as though we get to know you through each post and, at the same time, learn something about real estate in California. You have this blogging down to a science!

Emcee

Apr 03, 2011 03:44 PM

Gary Coles (International Referrals)

Venture Realty International - Las Vegas, NV

Latin America Real Estate

Jeff, Maybe if enough people read your post and decide they can't stand escargot, they will leave more for me. LOL

I do really enjoy escargot, crab, lobster, shrimp, squid and a few other items which I guess really don't seem too tasty in their natural state.

Apr 03, 2011 03:46 PM

Glenn Roberts

Retired - Seattle, WA

I had escargot a few times too. Then I moved west and we have slugs and snails. Ugly little nuisances. My wife threw one to the alley one day, overshot and we heard the neighbor yell HEY!. Direct hit? I don't know. Maybe a crow dropped it.

Apr 03, 2011 03:47 PM

Irene Lai-Chan

Rando Real Estate - Modesto, CA

M.S., REALTOR

Escargots - Yum-yum. I can't find these in Modesto CA (the lack of French restaurants). Whenever my family and I go on vacations, we look for French restaurants and order these. The last time was in La Jolla, CA in December 2010. I can't wait for the next vacation - Spring Break in April.

I have a LOT of snails in the backyard too in Central Valley, CA. My husband just "took care" of them before they become a "Bigger" problem.

Why can't snails in the backyard just turn into the French delicacy - that would REALLY raise my property value ;-) - at least for the Escargot lovers!

Apr 03, 2011 03:49 PM

Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400

HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD

Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Jeff, You could put anything in enough butter and garlic and it would be tasty. Shrimp would be a better choice for me!

Margaret

Apr 03, 2011 03:49 PM

Jane Peters

Home Jane Realty - Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles real estate concierge services

Mmmmmm. I love escargot. Would you mind saving some for me.

Apr 03, 2011 04:07 PM

Jeff Dowler, CRS

eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA

The Southern California Relocation Dude

Margaret - yeah, I have those memories, too. And yes, we have slugs here as well. REALLY gross.

Ellie - well there was a time. But I don't think so after living here where lunch is running around my garden.

Elizabeth - ah, yes, there are mnay more pleasant creatures with shells to enjoy. Crab is a fave of mine.

Jeff

Apr 03, 2011 04:21 PM

Steve, Joel & Steve A. Chain

Chain Real Estate Investments & Mortgage, Steve & Joel Chain - Cottonwood, CA

Jeff,

I don't know if these garden variety snails are edible either. It would be INTERESTING to know however.

Steve

Apr 04, 2011 01:36 AM

The Scott Loper Team Bux-Mont Premier Properties

Keller Williams Real Estate - Montgomeryville - Lansdale, PA

Hi Jeff,

I had escargot in Paris at a restaurant at the base of the Eiffel Tower. I loved them. But maybe this too was due to location location location! We don't see too many snails here in Southeastern PA except in the creeks.

Lisa

Apr 04, 2011 06:44 AM

Ginny Gorman

RI Real Estate Services ~ 401-529-7849~ RI Waterfront Real Estate - North Kingstown, RI

Homes for Sale in Southern RI and beyond

Jeff, i adore escargots but especially cold snail salad which is delicious...again it is an acquired taste...work on it...it's like tofu it is a acquired.

Apr 04, 2011 08:39 AM