Savour Snails

Your introduction to Escargot and Haggis at the Cinnamon Grand

By Nizla Naizer

How often have you heard of Escargots also known as your harmless, outdoor dwelling snail, relished and treasured by connoisseurs of cuisine in Europe but never really got the opportunity to try it out yourself? Snails on the outset may seem to be an insignificant mollusc with a hard, curvy shell, but to many it is the epitome of fine dining.
A well prepared snail is a dish to relish and enjoy, and no one has mastered the art of Escargot as well as the French.
This September however, count yourself lucky as the London Grill at Cinnamon Grand brings to Colombo the unique taste of this gourmet delight. Try it anyway you like, lovers of escargot swear by the flavour of this delicacy, deep fried, sautéed, stewed or in a delicious soup.

Escargot escapades
The promotion at London Grill all September offers this shell shocking delight in eight different forms of starters and two soups. The entire range however reflects the multitude of flavours that escargot can bring out. Trust me, you cannot imagine that the tiny mollusc can contain so much versatility when it is cooked just the right way. So what can you be treated to at the Cinnamon Grand this month? Starting from Snails in soft butter, parsley, shallots and garlic to Almond crusted snails on Portobello mushrooms and garlic emulsion, or try the Snails with whipped butter, bone marrow, shallots and truffles or Batter fried snails with shallots and garlic if you have a weakness for all things covered in batter.
Diced snails with anchovies, parsley and pancetta en croute join Phyllo wrapped snail ragout with ballottine of guinea fowl and veal sweetbreads in an exotic combination. Or experience Chablis scented snails with garlic flan and perisilade sauce and Fricassee of snails on asparagus and corn ravioli with Worcestershire beurre blanc for fine French gourmet.
If you’re a soup buff try the roasted garlic and onion cream soup with sautéed burgundy snails or the Jerusalem artichoke soup with snail custard and truffle essence. I’m a great fan of truffles, so anything with truffles goes.

Haggis delights
But that’s not all Cinnamon Grand has on offer to the adventurous diner this month. Not to be outdone, Scotland adds its own share to the exotic with their signature Haggis. Haggis is a savoury pudding where several parts of a sheep is wrapped in a casing to create a delicious, nutty, wholesome meal that has you longing for the deep lochs and soaring mountains of Scotland in no tome.

The sheep’s pluck which comprises of the heart, liver and lungs are minced together with onion, oatmeal, spices and salt and liberally mixed with stock to give it an unmistakeable flavour. You know the meat lover within you is going to enjoy this one. The filling is then stuffed into the tight casing and boiled.
Haggis is an iconic part of Scottish culture going as far back as Nordic times, when the Norse sailed the seas and brought the dish to Scotland on long ships. But that’s not all, Cinnamon Grand offers Haggis not in isolation, you can have it served with swede (turnips), mashed potato and a shot of Scotch. So if you’re feeling adventurous and want to try out something completely exotic and delicious, head over to the Cinnamon Grand, and if you’ve been a fan of Escargots and Scottish Haggis from experiences past, this is the ideal opportunity to renew the taste.