Small snails simmered in a clear broth of mint, cumin, bay and dried chilli, served hot in a cup with a toothpick to hook them out. The broth matters as much as the snails and is drunk afterwards.

Córdoba eats snails for about three months a year and then stops entirely. The season opens around 28 February, Andalusia Day, and closes in late May or early June, and street stands appear across the city for exactly that window before vanishing again. The chicos are the small snails, cooked in a herb and cumin broth; the gordos are the larger cabrillas, usually served in an almond and pepper sauce. Caracoles La Magdalena has worked the same plaza since 1965 and is now on its fourth generation of the same family. The Mercado del Marrubial keeps a dedicated snail stall through the season.

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