History Channel - Burns Supper

[Bob C]

I was flipping channels a few minutes ago and caught the end of a show called "Weird U.S." Apparently, they were featuring ethnic xmas celebrations and one of them was a Burns Supper at the Scottish-American Club of Kearny, NJ.

They made a big deal out of how disgusting haggis is, and the hosts participated in a haggis ceremony. There was a piper, who recited Burns' "Address to a Haggis."

As the segment ended, one of the guys asked the piper what he wore beneath the kilt. He answered, "Shoes."

I wish I had seen the whole segment.

[Randy]

I just got home and questioned on Burns Night. My lovely wife watched it when she arrived home today. I passed the quiz. She loveed the "what under the kilt?" answer.

[macwilkin]

Odd that they would classify a Burns Supper as an "ethnic Christmas celebration" since it has nothing to do with Christmas!?

If they think Haggis is bad, they should do something on Upton Sinclair's The Jungle and then read the contents of Bologna or a hot dog -- I'll take the Haggis any day, thank you very much! :mrgreen:

Cheers,

Todd

[Bob C]

Odd that they would classify a Burns Supper as an "ethnic Christmas celebration" since it has nothing to do with Christmas!?

That was my reaction, as well, but one of the guys in the club said, "When I think of Christmas, I smell haggis before I smell pine trees."

[macwilkin]

Perhaps they confused Burns Night with Hogmanay. ;)

T.

[michael steinrok]

Hey there's good haggis and not so good haggis. Besides the name of the program was Weird US

[prattw]

Burns Night falls not too long after Xmas, and the comprehension level of the average reporter is low. Nor do they have much time to research any given segment.

As to haggis, I can only assume that it's the idea of "variety meats". Though that's exactly what goes into hot dogs. My wife compares the flavor to very mild chopped liver. I consider that to be a clear libel of haggis, but then I despise chopped liver and my wife likes it. I generally suggest that for texture and flavor, haggis rather resembles roast beef hash. (Roast beef, not corned beef, the flavor of the latter is quite different.) If you want a quick approximation of what haggis tastes like, and feels like in the mouth, go to the grocery store and buy a can of roast beef hash. If you find that palatable, you've nothing to fear from haggis.

Will Pratt

[macwilkin]

Burns Night falls not too long after Xmas, and the comprehension level of the average reporter is low. Nor do they have much time to research any given segment.

As to haggis, I can only assume that it's the idea of "variety meats". Though that's exactly what goes into hot dogs. My wife compares the flavor to very mild chopped liver. I consider that to be a clear libel of haggis, but then I despise chopped liver and my wife likes it. I generally suggest that for texture and flavor, haggis rather resembles roast beef hash. (Roast beef, not corned beef, the flavor of the latter is quite different.) If you want a quick approximation of what haggis tastes like, and feels like in the mouth, go to the grocery store and buy a can of roast beef hash. If you find that palatable, you've nothing to fear from haggis.

Will Pratt

Interesting comparison with roast beef hash, Will. I've always thought that the Cajun sausage Boudin Blanc is close to "real" Haggis. I can't say that I've ever seen a can of roast beef hash before -- I'll have to look for that next time I'm at the store.

Ironically, the head chef of our culinary arts program at the community college will be attending our Burns Supper next Saturday -- he is interested in the "Haggis ritual" of the Burns Supper and the peasant roots of the dish. He writes a weekly column in the local fishwrap, and he is devoting one to the Haggis and the Burns Supper.

Michael: you are quite right about "bad haggis" -- believe me, I've seen a few "bad haggi" in my day! ;)

Cheers,

Todd

[Mike n NC]

Burns Night falls not too long after Xmas, and the comprehension level of the average reporter is low. Nor do they have much time to research any given segment.

As to haggis, I can only assume that it's the idea of "variety meats". Though that's exactly what goes into hot dogs. My wife compares the flavor to very mild chopped liver. I consider that to be a clear libel of haggis, but then I despise chopped liver and my wife likes it. I generally suggest that for texture and flavor, haggis rather resembles roast beef hash. (Roast beef, not corned beef, the flavor of the latter is quite different.) If you want a quick approximation of what haggis tastes like, and feels like in the mouth, go to the grocery store and buy a can of roast beef hash. If you find that palatable, you've nothing to fear from haggis.

Will Pratt

Why do I have an almost unrisistable urge to say "tastes like chicken"?

oops, I just did.

Mike

[prattw]

Why do I have an almost unrisistable urge to say "tastes like chicken"?

oops, I just did.

Mike

Though I haven't actually read the contents for "roast beef" hash, I suspect that it contains the same "variety meats" as haggis, just from beef instead of mutton. Roast beef hash doesn't taste anything like chicken; chicken tastes just like rattlesnake

Will Pratt