Local producer CARAGOLERS DE MURO

Fussy eaters, this isn’t for you. Gourmets, welcome. It’s time to talk about snails, undoubtedly one of the oldest known foods, and a classic ingredient in the Balearic food tradition, something they know only too well at Caragolers de Muro, a farm that has been raising and selling live and cooked snails since 2009.

Caragolers de Muro customers buy snails either ready to be cooked or pre-cooked, ready to eat. Snails stewed with herbs is a classic Mallorca dish, and although originally it was no doubt a staple dish, today it is thought of as something of a delicacy, and is served in many restaurants around the island, almost always with allioli, the classic garlic and olive oil sauce.

The most complicated part is cleaning the snails, which is why at Caragolers de Muro they sell snails that are still alive, but purged on the inside and fully clean on the outside. And if customers prefer them cooked, they are available stewed in the traditional way, with herbs such as fennel, marjoram or spearmint.

The rearing process lasts from September to November. It all starts in the reproduction room, where humidity and temperature are controlled to ensure ideal conditions for the snails to hatch. They are then transferred to the fattening room, where they will spend 10-12 months. This hothouse covers a thousand square metres, with several sheltered areas for the animals, organised as a series of passageways. This is how the snails are fed and cared for, and it allows visitors to view them without harming them.

For Caragolers de Muro, respect for the whole process is essential, from birth to sale, so no chemical products of any kind are used – everything is completely natural.

If you’re interested in discovering this world, which remains a mystery to most people, Caragolers de Muro offer guided visits around their farm. Ask for Jaume Riutort. Open all year round except for August.