Oh dear me....this talk of botulism is feeding into my insecurity about my husband's home cured meat! 
Soops place of refuge and friends
Significant rise in both anti-semitism and Islamophobia
Gransnet forums
Food
Apparently it's not safe to make your own garlic oil. Kept at room temperature it could be a source of botulism as garlic is grown in alkaline soil where chlostridium botulinum is present.
My garlic 'bible' written by the Boswell family from the Isle of Wight Garlic Farm states that it's OK to make it in vegetable oil but NOT olive oil and it should only be stored in the fridge.
Miraculously, I haven't poisoned anyone yet but I'm debating whether to throw out this year's supply. 
I know what you mean ga my DS sometimes goes hunting in NZ and blithely says that someone is going to smoke some venison, or turn it into salami for him or suchlike. And I bite my lip and try not to come on all bacteria-police, paranoid division.
There was a shameful episode with venison once which did not involve preservation. When he was ill, he and his flat mate moved (before the flat mate got married and house trained so he was no help...).
I was staying with them and enquired what was in the not-plugged-in freezer in the garage. I was warned on no account to open the door. I felt that tackling this oubliette was above and beyond the scope of maternal duty and I never did ask what happened to that freezer and its decomposing contents.
Definitely NOT a euphemism Phoenix. Bits of our pig are salted and hanging in the sauna and others are on racks slathered in salts/nitrates/herbs/pepper/spices etc. in the fridge. I'm being very brave and eating whatever the WM cooks for me and it is okayish (peppery), but every now and then I think.......what exactly is that taste?
Sure it will be safe and delicious ga 
Jess that story reminds me of the time my then boss was re-locating to head office. We had shared a lovely office, complete with sofas, own fridge etc, and he had also installed a fish tank stocked with marine type fish, rather than ordinary tropicals. The day he was leaving he took a beer from the fridge and looked a bit perplexed. He tried to open the small freezer/ice compartment but it was stuck.
He then informed me that it might be a good idea to defrost it and clear it out, and I was to be on no account alarmed by what was in there.
It was a dead sea anemone. 
Join the conversation
Registering is free, easy, and means you can join the discussion, watch threads and lots more.
Register now »Already registered? Log in with:
Gransnet »