Address to a Haggis

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Tonight we celebrated the Scottish poet Rabbie Burns, with veggie haggis, neeps and tatties.

An annual event that began in 1801, originally held in memoriam of Burns' death, Burns' Night is now celebrated on the anniversary of his birth. Both formal and informal events are held, but almost always include Haggis and poetry.

Haggis is a savoury pudding in which a sheep's heart, liver and lungs are minced with onion oatmeal, suet, spices, salt and stock and then stuffed into the sheep's stomach. hom nom nom. Although associated very closely with Scotland, the first known written recipe for 'Hagese' is in the cookbook Liber Cure Cocorum - from 1430 Lancashire, North West England. Fortunately for me, Scotland has been producing Veggie haggis since the 1960s.

Formal suppers including piping, a welcoming speech from the host, a grace (usually the Selkirk Grace*), followed by soup. When the haggis is brought in, everybody stands and the bagpipes play yet again. There are speeches, dancing and singing.

Less formally, I went with a group of friends to a restaurant in Glasgow for a veggie haggis supper, where one of my friends read out the Address.



*Some hae meat an canna eat,

And some wad eat that want it;

But we hae meat, and we can eat,

And sae let the Lord be thankit

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Photos

Good Friends and Food
Haggis in 13th Note