Burns supper

[jayem]

Today is the birthday of the poet Robert Burns. Traditionally celebrated in Scotland with a dinner of fish soup, followed by neets and tatties (turnips and potatoes,) and of course, the haggis. Which is a concoction of minced sheep heart, lungs, and liver, mixed with onions, oats, and pepper, stuffed in a sheep's stomach and boiled. It's served with "whisky sauce." Which is just a glass of Scotch poured over the haggis. And copious amounts of Scotch for drinking. (Which is probably the only way anyone can eat haggis.) It's also traditional for the haggis to be stabbed with a knife before it's brought to the table.

I just wonder if anyone here has ever eaten haggis. I think I'd stab myself before I'd eat it.

 

[Nithavela]

I'd eat it, but there is no good scottish restaurant in my town.

 

[durangodawood]

....I just wonder if anyone here has ever eaten haggis. I think I'd stab myself before I'd eat it.....

I ate it one time when I toured around Scotland by bus/ferry/bike. I figured I couldnt leave without trying it.

I recall something like a meaty, mildy peppery, porridgey substance. It was tasty enough, but I cant say Id seek it out.

 

[jayem]

I ate it one time when I toured around Scotland by bus/ferry/bike. I figured I couldnt leave without trying it.

I recall something like a meaty, mildy peppery, porridgey substance. It was tasty enough, but I cant say Id seek it out.

Organ meat is not my thing. On my first visit to the UK many years ago, I tried steak and kidney pie. The steak was OK, but the kidney was nasty. Eating an organ that makes urine is not my idea of fine dining. And I've never liked liver. Although I once tried fois gras. Which wasn't too bad, but isn't worth the cost.

BTW, it's my understanding that the FDA considers lung tissue as unfit for human consumption, and can't be bought legally in the US. So traditional haggis can't be imported, or sold in this country.

 

[durangodawood]

Organ meat is not my thing. On my first visit to the UK many years ago, I tried steak and kidney pie. The steak was OK, but the kidney was nasty. Eating an organ that makes urine is not my idea of fine dining. And I've never liked liver. Although I once tried fois gras. Which wasn't too bad, but isn't worth the cost.

BTW, it's my understanding that the FDA considers lung tissue as unfit for human consumption, and can't be bought legally in the US. So traditional haggis can't be imported, or sold in this country.

I'm of the mind that if a bunch of people traditionally eat something, then I can eat it once in awhile without worrying. But I understand that not everybody is like me.

I did have a steak and kidney pie from a local baker when I was in England bike touring around. Ate it for lunch in the churchyard. It was delicious. But I was bike touring, so pretty much everything was delicious.

 

[Red Gold]

I have taken part in a Burns supper both in Scotland and in Germany.
And I can tell you: Haggis is fine!