Swisher had escargots for the first time about a week
ago.

I like escargot but have not tried wild slugs.

There is an annual festival in Eugene, Oregon, dedicated to
the banana slug, which sometimes offers samples of dishes
made using that peculiar creature.

Slugs are in general edible depending on what they
have been eating. Yours was probably edible and tasty.

So long as they're cooked.

Yes - there is always that. Properly cooked is always best
for foods of unknown provenance. Also, careful preparation
including purging for a week or so in the case of gastropods.

https://tinyurl.com/raw-slugs

Worse - https://tinyurl.com/slugsraw

When the Northwest Company was in competition with the Hudson Bay Company, Fort Astoria was located at the mouth of the Columbia
River. -JW
Some of us have been there. Big bridge. Nice smokehouse.

Cool. I've been to B.C. numerous times and northern California once
but not Washington or Oregon. I've been to Columbia Lake and the
upper Columbia River which are in B.C.

They're not exactly flyover states, you know. I try to hit Portland
annually in my rota of visits (Singapore, Rochester, and Germany
yearly as well, Washington and Providence more frequently because
of convenience and need, France and Australia every second to third
year), and of course used to see Hap and Annie on occasion, but
that last seems to have fallen by the wayside.

Title: Greek Seasoning for Suckling Pig

Interesting - I thought of oregano rather than thyme and savory
in the Greek seasoning scheme.

... Rumour has it that slugs drown in beer. Slugs spread this rumor

My classmate Bananita Sluginsky was chosen Slug Queen at the 1993 Eugene Slugfest - see this URL which was chosen as a doubleheader (it's from
the Astorian, but you can follow links and find out more about her
elsewhere). https://tinyurl.com/slugqueens - as I recall, in her day
she enjoyed beer but quit drinking at some point.

Sample Bananita comeback during an interview in 1998:

Al Franken: So you're the old queen of Eugene?
Bananita Sluginsky: As opposed to the old queen of New York,
which is YOU! [M's note: Chicago would have been more
accurate at the time. M's second note: Franken isn't as
light in the loafers as he sometimes seems.]

SNAILS WITH WATER CHESTNUTS AND BLACK BEANS
Categories: shellfish, Chicago, celebrity, starter
Yield: 8 appetizer canapes

7 oz cn large escargots, chopped
1/2 ts salt
2 Tb butter
1 1/2 ts rendered bacon fat
3 Tb finely chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 1/2 ts finely chopped basil
1 1/2 ts finely chopped chives
1 1/2 ts finely chopped tarragon
1 1/2 ts finely chopped thyme
1 1/2 Tb finely chopped water chestnuts
12 fermented black beans, chopped
1 1/2 ts rice-wine vinegar
1 1/2 ts hoisin sauce
8 sl (thin) from a French baguette
- or 4 sl (thin) whole wheat bread

CHARLIE TROTTER'S SNAILS WITH WATER CHESTNUTS AND BLACK BEANS

In a small pan, bring 1 c water to a boil. Add escargots and
salt and cook for 10 sec. Drain.

In a skillet, heat butter and bacon fat. Add onion and cook
for 1 min. Add garlic and continue to cook until it begins to
turn golden. Add snails and cook for 1 1/2 min longer. Add
herbs, water chestnuts and black beans and cook another
45 sec. Add rice vinegar and hoisin. Stir in, mix well and
remove pan from heat.

Cut bread slices in half on the diagonal and toast or lightly
fry in oil.

Spoon portions onto the toast pieces and serve warm.

via Chicago Tribune 7/5/87
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