Snail farming has part of the Viennese tradition for a long time now. It is for this reason that the Austrian capital holds a yearly snail or escargot festival.
Locals and tourists can enjoy them during the Vienna Snail Festival which runs until October 4th. Unknown to some epople, the escargot is a popular delicacy among gourmets worldwide.
This year, chefs in Vienna will feature escargot on their menus. Each chef is required to prepare a special dish using snails and offer them in their restaurants.
In the Austrian capital, farmer Andreas Gugumuck is credited for breeding Viennese snails for years now in his 400-year-old farm in the city’s southern section. He supplies escargots including snail caviar and liver to some of the best restaurants in Austria and he is the man behind the yearly Vienna Snail Festival.
Apart from tasting dishes with snails, locals and visitors can also take advantage of guided tours of the snail farm. A new Vienna snail manufactory has been opened by Gugumuck which showcases the process of breeding snails. The farm bistro and on-site shop has lined up a number of activities as well such as tastings, workshops and a public vote on the best snail butter.
In the past, snails were popularly served during Lent in Vienna. They were prepared in various ways such as boiled and with sugar, baked or fried with bacon and sauerkraut. A snail market was even available at the back of St. Peter’s Church.
