Burns Night - 25th January

[Morning Glory]

Every year on 25 January, Scotland raises a glass in patriotic celebration of national bard, Robert Burns. If you’re attending a traditional party, expect poetry readings, dancing and even the odd toot of piped music, but central to the revelry is a hearty supper. Traditionally the supper includes haggis with neeps and tatties.

What are your favourite Scottish dishes and what would be your ideal Burns Night menu?

 

[MrsDangermouse]

I remember when I was at uni in Edinburgh there was always a ceilidh on Burns Night - it was great fun trying to do all the dances

Neither of us are Scottish but we usually have haggis, neeps and tatties on Burn's Night and I keep it simple by serving it with mashed potato and mashed swede. It does make for a bit of a soft meal with everything pretty much the same texture but that's the way you usually see it in Scotland so my excuse is that I'm just being traditional. No whisky to go with it though....neither of us like it.

Looks like (traditional) haggis is still banned in the USA though there are some versions specially made for American market like this one.

 

[Lullabelle]

We like to celebrate with haggis, mashed potato, maybe mashed swede, no whisky.

 

[rascal]

We don't celebrate but growing up our neighbours were Scottish, they had 6 boys all who played the pipes. The youngest son piped my mum at her funeral. When in Edinburgh I bought 2 haggis in tins and bought them home with me. Tried them a few months later, yuk. Threw them out. Definitely acquired taste.

Russ

 

[Morning Glory]

We don't celebrate but growing up our neighbours were Scottish, they had 6 boys all who played the pipes. The youngest son piped my mum at her funeral. When in Edinburgh I bought 2 haggis in tins and bought them home with me. Tried them a few months later, yuk. Threw them out. Definitely acquired taste.

Russ

Tinned are probably not the best haggis to try. It is a distinctive taste - if you like black pudding you will probably like a good haggis. I love it!

 

[rascal]

Tinned are probably not the best haggis to try. It is a distinctive taste - if you like black pudding you will probably like a good haggis. I love it!

Maybe next time.

Russ

 

[Lullabelle]

We don't celebrate but growing up our neighbours were Scottish, they had 6 boys all who played the pipes. The youngest son piped my mum at her funeral. When in Edinburgh I bought 2 haggis in tins and bought them home with me. Tried them a few months later, yuk. Threw them out. Definitely acquired taste.

Russ

Tinned are probably not the best haggis to try. It is a distinctive taste - if you like black pudding you will probably like a good haggis. I love it!

Tinned haggis is a no no

This is the one we buy, it is now sitting in the fridge waiting for Friday

 

[The Velvet Curtain]

We don't celebrate but growing up our neighbours were Scottish, they had 6 boys all who played the pipes. The youngest son piped my mum at her funeral. When in Edinburgh I bought 2 haggis in tins and bought them home with me. Tried them a few months later, yuk. Threw them out. Definitely acquired taste.

Russ

I aquired one of those once, they are vile and in no way reflect what a proper haggis should be. Good ones must be a avilable in New Zealand.

 

[Wandering Bob]

The best haggis I ever ate came from Carlisle market back in the mid-1970s. It took some cooking but it was sensational.

I also have a somewhat drunken memory of eating battered haggis & chips in Berwick upon Tweed in the 1980s. It was 'interesting' but not an experience I'd chose to repeat. All those pints of 'heavy' must have affected my judgement.

Tinned haggis? no, no and no.

 

[Morning Glory]

I aquired one of those once, they are vile and in no way reflect what a proper haggis should be. Good ones must be a avilable in New Zealand.

This company's offering looks good:

https://www.haggis.co.nz

 

[epicuric]

I always used to eat haggis with chips and baked beans - it really works! I found tatties and neeps a bit boring until I discovered the joys of a creamy whiskey sauce to perk them up a bit. This will definitely be on the menu this week.

 

[rascal]

I aquired one of those once, they are vile and in no way reflect what a proper haggis should be. Good ones must be a avilable in New Zealand.

I bought my ones from the Scottish shop on the Royal mile from memory. I won't buy tinned again.

Russ

 

[rascal]

This company's offering looks good:

https://www.haggis.co.nz

View attachment 21922

I will investigate later. I've never heard of it here, but you never know. ThanKs for the link.

Russ

 

[Morning Glory]

I will investigate later. I've never heard of it here, but you never know. ThanKs for the link.

Russ

Looks a bit pricey though!

 

[MrsDangermouse]

When in Edinburgh I bought 2 haggis in tins and bought them home with me.

I didn't know you could get haggis in a tin....I really can't imagine how that would taste (apart from a feeling that it sounds awful!)

I also have a somewhat drunken memory of eating battered haggis & chips in Berwick upon Tweed in the 1980s. It was 'interesting' but not an experience I'd chose to repeat.

I don't know if its still the case, but haggis used to always be on the menu in Edinburgh chip shops when I was a student there and was pretty popular.

I always used to eat haggis with chips and baked beans - it really works!

That sounds pretty tasty Thanks for reminding me......in my first year at uni I stayed in catered halls and haggis was on the menu at least once a fortnight in the canteen.

I suppose we tend to think of haggis as a special dish eaten once a year on Burn's night, but in Scotland its actually just an everyday dish that's eaten year round. It also works well as part of a cooked breakfast.