Sorry LH - apart from a little difference in size, the giant rodents has been done.

A film called 'The Princess Bride' with Cary Elwes in it, has R.O.U.S's - Rodents Of Unusual Size in it. They are rats the size of small ponies and live in the swamp.

If 'to caramelise' something is to turn it sticky and translucent, is 'marmelising' to turn something brown and smelly?

LTS