Mmm, snail mucus

In January, the feds raided a Miami home after people complained about getting sick from eating the mucus of a Great African Snail. They were "devotees," as AP puts it, of a man who follows an African religion of some sort. That particular snail, which can eat plaster, is prohibited in the U.S. No criminal charges have been filed at this point.

Comments

[Realist]

Ugh. Just the kind of story I want to read at six o'clock in the morning before I've even had my coffee. Nice work, James.

[jeano]

Reminds me of the Henny Youngman joke. "Doctor, it hurts when I do that." "So don't do that!"

[James Hart]

Realist: I aims to please!

[Jellybean]

It's so funny the stuff you can get people to do if you sell it as religion. Most of my relatives go out once a year, on a Wednesday, and let this guy smear ashes all across their foreheads. Then they walk around like that all day... I wonder if they'd eat snail mucus for him...

[winkyb2me]

Checked in to see what everyone is having for lunch today. Don't think snail snot is going to make my menu, however.

[kybo61]

Ordinary Kansas City giant garden slugs eat paper. They eat dog food. They eat cardboard boxes. They eat books and magazines. I'm absolutely certain they can eat plaster. They are gross and leave giant slime trails everywhere. If only I was certain they were edible, I would cook them like escargots. They are definitely big enough so that four or five of them would make a complete meal with a side of steamed vegetables. Yum.

[doggydaddy]

kybo, I'm pretty sure they are virtually the same as the escargot snails but don't cook up any based on my word.
Out in Washington state, they can grow about a foot long and weigh several pounds. Talk about a shocker when you first come across one of those on the trail!

[kybo61]

doggy, I only threatened my foster kids with cooking the slugs for dinner. I really don't think I have the courage to do so, despite my adventurous nature. I would do so if I was on "Survivor." I'm happy to find the slimy things and relocate them outdoors where they belong. Your Washington slugs, I quite believe, based on what I know about the climate! Yum. Rain forest makes for big creatures... OK, lovely image in my head! Thanks. Peace & slime trails, ~Kathy in KC.~