Learn about a unique kind of farming and its place in history and culinary culture in this article and video by Dennis Cieri who shares the story of Andreas Gugumuck and snail farming in Vienna with Real Food Traveler readers.

Save this article about farming snails at Gugumuck-Hof to Pinterest to keep it handy. Photos by Dennis Cieri and courtesy of www.gugumuck.at. Graphic by RealFoodTraveler.com.

Discover How Andreas Gugumuck is Farming Snails in Vienna, Austria

Farmland and meadows aren’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Vienna, the posh and beautiful Austrian capital. When you say “Vienna,” you think of the opulent Hapsburg palaces, the grand art museums and the gilded coffeehouses. It may feel counterintuitive that about 40 percent of Vienna’s surface is used to grow something—including tomatoes, cucumbers and leafy greens, all planted and harvested within the city limits. But that’s not all Vienna grows. There’s another peculiar crop that Vienna dishes out: namely, garden snails, more commonly known as escargots.

Born and raised on his family Gugumuck farm in Vienna, Austria Andreas Gugumuck was looking to continue the tradition, searching for a unique crop to stay competitive. Snails, he decided, made sense. Historically, Viennese cuisine relied on snails quite a bit. This happened because Austria was a Catholic country, and it was forbidden to eat meat on Friday and during Lent. The clever Austrians found a protein alternative—garden snails. Dubbed “Viennese oysters,” they were a favorite delicacy in the 1800s, eaten baked, boiled, fried and even mixed with sugar, says Gugumuck.

Andreas Gugumuck serving snails. Photo courtesy of www.gugumuck.at.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the demand for “meatless” food grew so great during Lent that Austrians imported snails from Germany. Due to the huge demand, snail farming was very common in and around Vienna, to the point Vienna became the snail capital of the world. And while people may think of escargot as a French dish, it was Austrian cooks who first adapted snails into their diet. The Parisian chefs discovered snail treats at the Vienna 1873 World’s Fair—and turned them into the now famous French delicacy.

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Today, snails fit perfectly into the urban farming landscape because they require little space and feed on kitchen scraps and restaurant leftovers. They’re relatively easy to grow and don’t take up a lot of land or resources making them a great green alternative to cattle, pigs or poultry. “Plus, they’re low on fat and high on protein, so they’re very healthy,” says Gugumuck.

In 2010, when he took over the farm management from his grandmother, Gugumuck concentrated on snail farming and breeding. Snails need small pens or enclosures; devices for measuring humidity, temperature, soil moisture, and light; a weight scale and an instrument to measure snail size; a kit for testing soil contents; and a magnifying glass to see the eggs. Compared to other types of farming that require large machinery, snail growing was fairly easy to launch.

Snails growing at Gugumuck farm in Vienna.

Today, the farm, Gugumuck-Hof, offers regular tours of the snail field from May to October, during which Gugumuck gives comprehensive insight into their snail life and his visionary future food concepts. A tour costs €24 per person and includes a tasting of Viennese snails and a glass of wine or a non-alcoholic drink. Some of the signature bites include three different types of sauces with snails served in various ways – with parmesan, rosemary and other seasonal herbs. The tastings draw a connoisseur crowd, and the farm also sells jars of tangy snail preserves, sauces and even snail caviar.

The outdoor restaurant at Gugumuck-Hof. Photo courtesy of www.gugumuck.at.

– Story and photos, except where noted, by Dennis Cieri