Cool Up North

We had an unexpected visit from Old Arthur this week and with him he brought an old custom which we thought was at least a little strange .....

The Slug Roast The self-sacrifice of the inhabitants of the plague village of Eyam in Derbyshire in the 17th century is well known. What is little known, however, is that a similar event during one of the plague epidemics of the 14th century was played out in the remote village of Wassup-with-Dee in the Cleveland Hills. This village nestles in the deepest, dampest valley in Britain and this accident of geography has led to the evolution of the remarkable natural phenomenon of the largest slugs recorded anywhere in the British Isles.

These creatures provided, during this terrible time, a most valuable food source which enabled over half the population to survive. The period is commemorated by the locally famous Slug Roast. Although they can grown to a length of 14-16inches, a more typical size is around 10inches long. There is none of you namby-pamby, smelly garlic and parsley escargot bourguignon. The traditional dish calls for the slugs to be marinaded in broonale prior to roasting and serving with mashed turnips and chopped pissabed leaves... Well it beats roadkill....