Her love of travel kept her going back to France — Burgundy in particular — because of the incredible vineyards. “This is where the snail idea came,” she said. After several trips to Burgundy, and eating escargot for practically every meal, she said she would always return to the U.S. to another “chewy, muddy-flavored” dish of snails drowned in butter, garlic and parsley.

She did a little research, read a book by Frenchman Francois Picart titled “Escargots from Your Garden to Your Table” and learned there was no sizable snail industry in the U.S. She decided to start a snail farm. Anais West works exclusively with the Petit Gris, or “little gray” snails. They are often referred to as the “common brown garden snail.”

She sells snails by the pound, but only in California. The company is limited by its invasive species permit and does not ship outside the state. “Caviar” — snail eggs — have long been a popular item at European bistros. Now they are becoming a hot item at many high-end San Francisco restaurants. Snails lay the eggs in the soil, and they have an earthy flavor, like fresh green onions.

Matthew Dolan, chef at San Francisco’s 25 Lusk, said his customers are discovering the exotic delicacy. “Even those put off by the notion at first glance have enjoyed the subtle, mushroom and pine flavors of her (EscarGrow Farms) fresh eggs — unpasteurized so the flavor is pure and amazing,” he said. “I was surprised and impressed by such an undertaking, and as escargots themselves are lovely, I’m much more enamored with their caviar.” He said the quality of her escargot caviar is “better than any other that I’ve tried, so I wish her well and selfishly hope that her production flourishes so I will have regular access.”

Read the full story at Capital Press.