When I signed up for the Burns' Night dinner at St. Andrews Restaurant, I was pretty excited. Not only would I be able to enjoy haggis and other Scottish specialties, but I would also have a great post for Slashfood. Unfortunately, Monika Bartyzel got here ahead of me and did a pretty damned good job of talking up the wonders of the "Great chieftain o' the pudding race." Still, having spent an evening eating offal, sipping scotch, and listening to highland poetry, I'm not quite ready to give up...
My introduction to haggis came on a family trip to Scotland. My mother, who was Jewish and had never quite understood my father's extreme dislike of spices, bought A Feast of Scotland by Janet Warren. As we drove around the countryside, she tore through the tome, alternately giggling, gagging, and exclaiming "You're FREAKING joking!" At the end of all of this, she gazed upon my father and told him that she finally understood his problem. The cookbook featured exactly two spices: salt and pepper, and occasionally exhorted its readers to "add suet to taste." While there is a lot to be said for environment, it was clear that heredity had had at least some effect on my dad's palate.
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In celebration of yesterday's Robert Burns Day, I thought I'd introduce you all to the world of haggis.
Now don't recoil and run screaming in the other direction. Haggis' urban legend bark is much worse than any bite you could take of the Scottish food. Really, the whole anti-haggis stance doesn't make much sense. Usually larger versions of foods get applauded and loved, but haggis gets the pointy end of the leftover meat sword. It doesn't have the widespread appeal of its cousin, the hot dog, nor the culinary adoration of cousin #2, the sausage.
But it's just a spicy, tasty meatloaf sort of food stuffed in innards, whether they be intestines, stomach, or other lining. In fact, if you're like me, your first bite of haggis will make you think that you're being played and fed ground beef instead. Scots knew what they were doing. This isn't a food where you try to bring out the delicate flavors of the pluck. It's boiled, ground with tasty bits like onions and oatmeal, and heavily spiced so that it slides down with deliciousness, rather than revulsion.
Slop it on a plate with neeps and tatties, and you can't go wrong.
Is there that owre his French ragout, Or olio that wad staw a sow, Or fricassee wad mak her spew Wi' perfect sconner, Looks down wi' sneering, scornfu' view On sic a dinner? -- Robert Burns
In case you forgot, January 25 marks Robbie Burns day -- the day where we delight in Scottish poetry by the master, and indulge in the wonders of haggis.
These days, I'm not so sure why the meal is considered so revolting. It might be encased in intestines, but it's a meal that includes forgotten meats like "sheep's pluck," and a saute of tasty additions like onions, spices, and stock. A food that uses all of the animal, let's your drink to the tune of bagpipes, and allows you to recite rowdy poetry? What could be better?
Well, I know I posted last week about haggis. There is a movement to get the USDA to drop its ban on Scottishhaggis. But it's Burns Night and you absolutely have to have good Scottish haggis for the occasion. Unfortunately, if you're in the U.S. you'll just have to smuggle it in.
According to the Times Online, a record number of people are going to the trouble of smuggling haggis into the U.S. for Burns Night, the anniversary of Robert Burns' birthday and a national holiday of Scotland. The USDA and US Customs and Border Protection are aware of the holiday, and are on the look out for increased attempts to get the meat into the country. The fines for trying to break the haggis ban are steep, too. You can be fined up to $1,000 and run the risk of having your name placed on an alert list.
The one butcher from Cockburn's of Dingwall, which is renowned for its haggis, says that more and more people are open about their intentions to smuggle their purchase into the U.S. Another popular route is through the mail, though you may need to worry a little about its condition on arrival. Or you could be a law abiding citizen and get haggis that was made in America. Buy American and celebrate Burns Night.
To most Americans, the thought of haggis, the national dish of Scotland, is stomach turning. In fact, that is what it's made of: specifically sheep stomach stuffed with minced sheep organs and onion. There has been a ban on importing haggis into the U.S. since 1989, when the BSE threat first appeared.
Now the Scottish government is thinking of asking the U.S. to drop the ban at the request of Scottish haggis maker Macsween. The Macsween company thinks they can sell a lot of haggis here, due to all of the Scottish ex-patriots. A company spokesman also claims that "once Americans try a good quality haggis, they can't get enough of it". (Er, maybe.) Officials say that haggis is perfectly safe as long as hygiene procedures are followed correctly which would make haggis safe to import into the U.S.
I have a personal rule that I have to try everything once. I won't lie, haggis is one thing that makes me nervous. Once I found out what it involved I was a little alarmed. However, if I did have the chance to try some high quality haggis I would not pass it up. What's the point in living if you don't take a chance from time to time?
Loyal Brit reader Jason Hirst alerted the team to the joys of Burns Truffles.
He writes that these are an "incredible new food" he has discovered called "Burns Truffles" from Simon Howies Butchers, though available through most good high-street supermarkets such as Sainsburys.
Jason describes them as "a case of 6 baby Haggi, each with a crispy beef and breadcrumb coating with a Haggis (offal, oatmeal, seasoning) inside with a rich creamy peppercorn sauce." Next time I'm shopping I'll an eye out especially as he calls them "by far one of the best things I've tasted this year."
When one sets out to create a list, it is important to set standards. What criteria will be used to rule
out inappropriate items? Why is this item on the list in the first place? The BBC's list of the top 50 things to eat before you die seems to
be lacking some of these standards. Apparently, viewers and readers voted on food items, which were narrowed to a field
of 50 based on the number of votes received. The top 10 were:
Haggis, the infamous Scottish dish consisting of sheep lungs, livers,
heart, oatmeal, onions, and various other spices, has been put on the list of restricted foods for children in the UK.
Many traditionalists are angered by this, saying that good quality haggis is made out of wholesome ingredients.
Officials say they have restricted it due to its high saturated fat and salt content.
Haggis is still something I have yet to try. Yes, we all know that it is typically the butt of all jokes here in
the US. But, after watching Tony Bourdain tuck into a large one on TV, I've actually been intrigued enough to maybe try
it, when I get the chance.
On a side note, officials have suggested reducing the fat and salt content. But, what would haggis really be
without these? I'm sure that many of its positive aspects have to come from its rich texture.
Even though the crust of your pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving turned out flaky and buttery, consider everyone "pie"-ed out. Try these non-pie ways to use up leftover disk of dough.
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When I signed up for the Burns' Night dinner at St. Andrews Restaurant, I was pretty excited. Not only would I be able to enjoy haggis and other Scottish specialties, but I would also have a great post for Slashfood. Unfortunately, Monika Bartyzel got here ahead of me and did a pretty damned good job of talking up the wonders of the "Great chieftain o' the pudding race." Still, having spent an evening eating offal, sipping scotch, and listening to highland poetry, I'm not quite ready to give up...
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Well, I know I posted last week about haggis. There is a movement to get the USDA to drop its ban on 
To most Americans, the thought of haggis, the national dish of 
Loyal Brit reader 
When one sets out to create a list, it is important to set standards. What criteria will be used to rule
out inappropriate items? Why is this item on the list in the first place? The BBC's list of the 
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