"You can't compare fresh Mallorcan snails to those that come from abroad"

How did your connection with snails begin?

I've always liked going to forage for them. A friend and I used to collect them for fun, until 2008 when the construction crisis hit, and I decided to change my life. I signed up for courses offered by the government, then continued my training on the mainland and in France, and in 2010 I set up my own company: Caragolers de Muro.

You're also the head of the Balearic Snail Farmers Association. What's its purpose?

We created it as a way of bringing farms together, especially because we can access aid from the government as a unit, but not individually. We also share ideas and experiences, seeking to do things like attend fairs outside Mallorca. For example, recently we wanted to go to the snail festival ‘Aplec del Caragol’ in Lleida to promote our product.

What role do snails have in Balearic cuisine?

It's a deeply ingrained product, although it's traditionally linked to two seasons: autumn and spring, when snails come out in the countryside. Thanks to the farms, they're now also eaten more and more in summer and winter. Moreover, snails can also be added to typical dishes such as noodles, arròs brut ('dirty rice'), bajocada (stew), peus de porc (pig's trotters), rabbit, etc. It can be used thousands of ways in Mallorcan cuisine.

What distinguishes a Mallorcan snail from a frozen one from abroad?

The difference is huge. The frozen ones usually come from Morocco or Peru, they're a different variety, their diet is different, and freezing them burns the meat, ruins the texture and breaks the shell. Also, lots of consumers don't realise that 90% of the snails eaten here are frozen. The difference in quality between a local live snail and a frozen one is incredible, but so is the price.

What's the state of snail consumption in Mallorca today?

In general, consumption has remained the same or even gone up slightly. Lots of people no longer know how to forage for them, so they resort to farms. There's especially been a boom on St. Mark's Day, a tradition that began in Sineu and has now spread all over Mallorca. It seems everyone has to eat snails on that day.

Could losing the consumption of live snails pose a risk to Mallorcan cuisine?

Yes. We're one of just three farms in Mallorca and we cannot supply all the demand. Climate change is also having a major impact on production: it rains less and at different times, and the snails spend more months inactive and die more often. Fewer snails means more difficulty in upholding tradition.

What's your method for farming snails?

We don't use any chemicals, although we're not certified as organic since it requires a lot of paperwork. There's no spraying here: we weed by hand. We feed the snails with fruit and vegetables given to us by local farmers, and we don't give them feed. This means more work, but the result is a healthier, well-fed snail.

Does the way they're farmed impact the final product?

If chemicals are used, you might not be able to tell from the taste, but from the animal’s health. On farms where chemicals are used, snails are more likely to die or fail to grow properly. It's the same for people: if they eat well, they live longer and better.

How is climate change affecting your production?

Very much so. Snails need moisture, but now some years it doesn't even rain in May, June or September. They're forced to hibernate for five or six months, which makes them weaker. Fortunately, they have an incredible reproductive capacity, and that has saved us these last three years of drought.

What challenges are you currently facing at Caragolers de Muro?

We're striving to open a sales point on the farm. A place where people can come to try and buy snails on the spot, surrounded by nature in a beautiful garden. There are few places where you can eat fresh live snails. Most restaurants don't even buy them that way.

Do you think there's a future for the Mallorcan snail?

Yes, but more farms would be needed. With only three, we cannot meet the demand, especially for key events like St. Mark’s Day. If there were more production, there'd be more consumption, and this would ensure that this tradition which is so dear to us would not be lost.