Burns Night, haggis, neeps n tatties etc

[Guest]

Tomorrow (25th January) is Burns' Night, a date for a feast with friends, full of traditions and ceremony.

Is anyone planning to celebrate in traditional fashion with readings and a dagger or have you developed your own style?

Does anyone eat vegetarian haggis?

[EnemyoftheStoat]

I don't really mind what's in the haggis, so if there's some vegetarian in there it's no great problem. I draw the line at horse though

[Dave2002]

I don't really mind what's in the haggis, so if there's some vegetarian in there it's no great problem. I draw the line at horse though

If you're going to eat animals at all, does it really matter what they are? Except that some don't taste nice, though. I heard that horse tastes quite good. I am tending away from regular meat eating myself.

[french frank]

Does anyone eat vegetarian haggis?

Had one once. Shan't bother again. Sadly, I forgot to put it on the shopping list today ... McS's for me!

[teamsaint]

If you're going to eat animals at all, does it really matter what they are? Except that some don't taste nice, though. I heard that horse tastes quite good. I am tending away from regular meat eating myself.

I avoid eating meat much of the time now. I am tempted to try a veggie Haggis, since I like the real thing.Tatties and neeps are excellent too.

I haven't found a good veggie substitute for lamb fricasee !

[handsomefortune]

we are having two haggiseses... one veggie, one meat. we tried a veggie one the other week (after attending a chilly morning late new year celebration, on the 12th jan) veg haggis is fine imo, with pots, neeps, and gravy...and whisky + stones ginger, apple/cinnamon cake for afters. also pooems, and scottish utube films to share, as well as late xmas presents.

[Flay]

Please remember to pour a wee drop of whisky over the haggis - it really livens it up.

It's the only time the good Mrs Flay will touch a wee dram...

[Flay]

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[Stephen Smith]

Our local Caledonian Society, after a long history, disbanded this year. I went to many a Burns Night and Hogmanay in the last`20 years. We have a kind invitation from friends (ex-Society, like us) to join them and others, but I'm not expecting the haggis will have live bapipe accompanument (carried by a traditionally bemused hotel chef). I'm sure there will be an address to the Haggis, but without the wide arc of the dagger, as was the practice of the Society's orator (from memory, very dramatic, understood only a few words, aurally).
All this is from the perspective of a cockney, it took me many years to encounter and find I liked Haggis - its my wife who is Scottish.

[Anna]

It took a long time before I was eventually persuaded to try haggis and when I did I found I really liked it (love tatties and neeps at all times) If I've bought one, usually for New Year but sometimes in slices to go with a fried breakfast, it's been a Macsweens although the butcher does import some (forgot which brand) for the occasion but they're much too big in size. I've been told the Macsweens vegetarian one is good. The Burns Nights I've been to have been great fun, the full works: address, dagger, poems, speeches, toasts and kilts and were organised by our resident fun loving Scots, unfortunately they have now moved away and no-one seems inclined to organise anything this year. However, having only just discovered I quite like whisky I will raise a wee dram of Glenmorangie (recommended by frenchie) and salute Burns, the Scottish Nation and an imaginary haggis tomorrow night!

[mangerton]

Please remember to pour a wee drop of whisky over the haggis - it really livens it up.

It's the only time the good Mrs Flay will touch a wee dram...

I know some people do this, but many Scots, including me, think it's a dreadful waste of good whisky. A good haggis should be quite lively enough already. However, the important thing of course is to have the haggis.

I'll be having mine on Sunday, probably McSweens, with champit tatties and bashed neeps, and like Anna, I'll be having some malt to go with it - in a glass.

........cut you up wi ready slight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like onie ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reekin, rich!

For post-haggis entertainment, this is hard to beat.

[ahinton]

It took a long time before I was eventually persuaded to try haggis and when I did I found I really liked it (love tatties and neeps at all times) If I've bought one, usually for New Year but sometimes in slices to go with a fried breakfast, it's been a Macsweens although the butcher does import some (forgot which brand) for the occasion but they're much too big in size. I've been told the Macsweens vegetarian one is good. The Burns Nights I've been to have been great fun, the full works: address, dagger, poems, speeches, toasts and kilts and were organised by our resident fun loving Scots, unfortunately they have now moved away and no-one seems inclined to organise anything this year. However, having only just discovered I quite like whisky I will raise a wee dram of Glenmorangie (recommended by frenchie) and salute Burns, the Scottish Nation and an imaginary haggis tomorrow night!

How lovely for the Welsh to celebrate us Scots! Thank you muchly! I shall be raising a glass to you the morrow!

[Anna]

How lovely for the Welsh to celebrate us Scots! Thank you muchly! I shall be raising a glass to you the morrow!

And I to you as well! Us Celts must stick together! Slàinte mhor a h-uile là a chi 's nach fhaic !!

[Flay]

I many Scots, including me, think it's a dreadful waste of good whisky.

I didn't say use a good whisky! Any blend is fine for this purpose. ^*

Don't worry, I have the Caol Ila at the ready.

^*I get more bottles of Bells in my job than I can cope with. Most are given away.

[Anna]

I didn't say use a good whisky! Any blend is fine for this purpose. ^*
Don't worry, I have the Caol Ila at the ready.
^*I get more bottles of Bells in my job than I can cope with. Most are given away.

Is Caol Ila one of those iodiney type malts you politely spit out when appropriate to leave the room as it tastes of decaying seaweed?