Haggis

After Burns Night just passing on Saturday I decided to write about the food my country Scotland is famous for, haggis. Haggis is the traditional food for Burns night, the one evening dedicated to the famous Scottish poem where all famous poems are read out and everyone eats haggis, neeps and tatties (those who don't know, haggis, turnip and potatoes). This is the day Robert was born so that is why January 25th is the day we celebrate. Some people completely hate the taste some love it, mainly the non Scots like it more because it's new to them but being Scottish I don't love it, once a year is enough for me, I only eat it mixed in with the potatoes ...  Read the complete review

A lot of people would automatically refuse Haggis because of the reputation that goes before it! Haggis is very much an acquired taste, a mixture of lambs hearts and lungs combined with beef or lamb trimmings both fat and lean and oatmeal and seasoning. I enjoy the odd portion of Haggis, its a tasty and warming meal. I do feel that healthy eating has probably made Haggis totally unacceptable to many. Years ago it was common to eat Lambs hearts, stuffed and roasted, they were delicious. The lungs or lights as I have always called them were boiled for the cats! Haggis needs to be eaten in small quantities and served with ...  Read the complete review

"Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face, Great chieftain o the puddin'-race! Aboon them a' ye tak your place, Painch, tripe, or thairm: Weel are ye wordy of a grace As lang's my arm." Robert Burns If there is one dish that is immediately identified as being Scottish then it must be haggis and yet it would be more correct to call it a British dish. The English made haggis well into the 18th century before abandoning the dish, the Scots quite wisely continued to make haggis. Personally I love it and fortunately there are a few English butchers who now sell it. We still have it occasionally ...  Read the complete review

Haggis is a traditional Scottish dish. It is eaten by many people all the year round, but it is most famous for being served at Burns' Suppers. These Suppers are held on 25th January of each year, and they are held in commemoration of the birth of Robert Burns, who was a famous Scottish poet. At these Suppers you are served Haggis, Neeps and Tatties, (Haggis, Turnip and potatoes). There is also usually a large amount of whiskey drunk at these events. The 'Chiefton' of the Supper, addresses the haggis before it is eaten. This means that one of the guests at the Supper, reads a piece of Burns' poetry and then pierces the haggis with a knife. Haggis ...  Read the complete review

Although I am a pure Geordie at heart, love Newcastle and will always feel most at home there, there are many reasons why I also love Scotland. Firstly, the fact that my boyfriend lives in Glasgow, and so I've had many happy memories there. Secondly, because I go to university in Edinburgh, and so have good friends there and love the city in general. And then, of course, there is haggis. Haggis is one of those foods that I really love, but find hard to come across in shops in Newcastle, and England in general. My dad said that our local fish and chip shop used to do fried haggis, but stopped doing it a few years ago, and there's nowhere else that I've seen ...  Read the complete review