*Insert witty haggis-based title here* (Haggis)

Member Name: charby

Product:	Haggis
Date:	08/06/09 (144 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Tastes fantastic, interesting, can be eaten many ways

Disadvantages: Not exactly healthy

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 nearby that does it either. Some supermarkets sell it, but it's not easy to come by, so I mainly only ever get to eat the great Scottish food when I'm in its homeland.

I'm not going to talk excessively about the ingredients of haggis, as I don't want to put some of you off trying it due to what's in it, but I will say that it is made of parts of a sheep which you wouldn't normally find in many dishes. I wouldn't say that something having unusual ingredients is an acceptable reason not to eat it though, as really, as long as something isn't going to kill you, the taste should be all that matters. If you think about it, if you're going to eat the meat of an animal, it's less wasteful to then also eat its stomach, heart and liver as well. Other ingredients include oats, which are healthy and tasty enough, as well as spices.

I find the taste of haggis somewhat difficult to describe, as it has its own unique flavour. Having never eaten sheep organs in any other form, I can't say how well the individual flavours come through, though I can say that there is a definite oaty taste in haggis, as well as a hint of spices. Haggis is very savoury without being dry, with a fairly thick consistency and texture. In short, there really is nothing like haggis, both in flavour and in excellence.

Haggis is most commonly eaten with potatoes and turnips (or neeps and tatties, if you prefer), which is a delicious meal to have, and can be found in many food pubs in Scotland and some restaurants. I often choose haggis, neeps and tatties when eating in a pub, and personally think that the combination tastes best when eaten with a small amount of tomato ketchup. Another way to enjoy haggis is by getting it fried from a fish and chip shop, and eating it with chips. The batter on the haggis gives the food a complementary crunchy outer texture, and tastes nice with a dash of vinegar over it. If you enjoy haggis, getting it from a chippy makes a nice change from sausage or fish and chips, and if it was available in England, then I would never get anything else!

In conclusion, haggis is one of my favourite foods, and I would recommend that everyone try it at least once (I'll let you off if you're vegetarian). The unique flavour and fantastic taste mean that I would happily eat it all the time, but really shouldn't due to its high calorie and fat content. Still, a little of what you feel like is only good for you, and if I was given the choice between being skinny and being able to eat haggis, then you could probably guess which one I'd go for!

Summary: One of my very favourite foods