''Hi Katarina, I hope you can help me. I am invited to a gala dinner soon and I can see snails are on the menu. I have never eaten snails - what is the proper way?''
G. H.
Dear G. H.,
thank you for your question!
There is no need to worry! Snails (or escargot) is a French delicacy that definitely belongs to the ''tricky foods'' group as you need special utensils in order to tame them.
During the dinner, you will most likely receive a pair of special escargot tongs and a small fork. These are common tools to use when consuming this delicacy. Normally, the snails are served on a special escargot plate that has small indentations where the shells fit into. Once you get your portion served, hold the tongs in your non-dominant hand and use it to grip the shell and hold it in place. Lift the snail fork with your dominant hand, pull the snail out and place it into your mouth.
The snail tongs do not only help us to secure the shell in place but also ensure that we don’t burn our skin by touching the hot shell, as many snails are prepared with a steaming hot butter.
Eating tricky foods can be nerve-wracking if we are new to it, but with a little bit of practice, you will master the art of eating snails in no time! In my ebook ''Katarina’s Guide to Western Dining Etiquette'', I explain in depth different types of tricky foods and how to tame them elegantly and graciously.
I wish you a beautiful gala dinner and a joyful introduction to the French delicacy!
Yours sincerely,
Katarina
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