“There is a strange power in bog water which prevents decay.” P.V. Glob, a well-named man, opens his book on bog bodies with this quote from a 19th century Danish almanac. Unfortunately, it seems this power wanes with time: my remaining refrigerated block of bog butter has started to develop a fluorescent yellow mold. While I have a relatively high tolerance for (or at least willingness to risk) inadvisable foods, the line has to be drawn somewhere, and this means further bog butter experiments will have to wait for the next crop.
It has been unexpectedly wintery for the end of February. The sofa, a book, and a hot drink are inviting, and I have learned about the Tollund and Grauballe men from Glob’s book.1 My pun-addled brain has been fixated on “hot buttered bog”. I gave in.
Hot (bog-) buttered rum:
2oz dark rum
1 tbsp bog butter (trimmed)
pinch freshly grated cinnamon
pinch freshly grated nutmeg
pinch freshly ground allspice
brown sugar to taste
4oz boiling water
The problem is that it’s absolutely awful. It might be that my bog butter is on the turn, but I’m not sure. All of the indications of danger in the bog butter (solvent smells) are amped up, and all of the pleasant aspects disappear. Neither the rum nor the spices are detectable, but a resolutely oily finish remains. Don’t do it.
With greatest thanks to D. Steinberg — is there much better than receiving an unexpected gift of a book that indulges your hobbies?
I proposed to Tim that we read the Glob bog book just the other day!