Who eats haggis?

[flyv65]

Actually, the tinned Haggis is pretty good. We use the tinned Haggis from the Caledonian Kitchen in Texas (www.caledoniankitchen.com) for our Burns Supper, and all of our Scots expats have pronounced it "bully", as TR would say.

I'll second this: I've had haggis from a Scottish caterer here in CO and it was pretty good, but I was truly surprised how tasty the Caledonian Kitchen canned stuff is-give it a shot.

Bryan...wi' neeps an' tatties...

[Bob C]

I've eaten it at Burns suppers and the like. Tastes like liverwurst.

[Panache]

I have to admit I'm also a haggis virgin. I'm very curious about trying it though. Any recommendations for haggis in Santa Clara / Bay Area from our Northern California kilted brethren?

[Pour1Malt]

'merica has nay real haggis... it is against the USDA rules...

the 'Oatmeal Savage' (in Oregon) makes a guid substitute.... but ai found it a bit heavy oan the 'liverish' meat and no enough oatmeal ar spice... so ai always opened his oop and stuffed in maire oatmeal an spices when ai made it....

if it tasted like liverwurst it wasnae made richt....

REAL Haggis is terrific stuff... it is very spicy...very oaty... wunnerfool!

ai cook slices o it every mornin' for breakfast at Ferintosh an eat it a couple times a week mysel....

the tinned stuff ai'm afeart o' an have no tried it....

oor butcher has won many awards fair his haggii (an other meats)

ai hav a amazin'ly tasty recipe fair cooking a 'hale haggii... (w/ prunes and apricots and lots o whisky ....) which ai cook fair Burns Suppers.... everwan (an ai mean everywan) who has tried it has luv'd it!

[kiltimabar]

I have to admit I'm also a haggis virgin. I'm very curious about trying it though. Any recommendations for haggis in Santa Clara / Bay Area from our Northern California kilted brethren?

Only times I've had haggis were St. Andrews Society dinners, like Burns Nicht, where, after the ceremonial ode, it is served as an appetizer. Can't say I really liked it, but a drenching in whisky made it go down a lot better. I always ate it all, as I thought it something of a duty in tribute to my Scottish ancestors, who were poor folk like most Scots and could never have dined on the expensive fare that made up the rest of the meal.

Last time I was at the Woodland Games there was a vendor selling canned haggis--he was giving out samples--I believe he had both the original sheep version, and also a beef-based one that tasted better to one not accustomed to a mutton flavor.

The Woodland games are coming up at the end of this month, so you might try to see if he's there again.

[Cawdorian]

I have to agree, the "Oatmeal Savage" does have good Haggis. As the official purchaser of the Haggis for our church's Kirk'in Lunch, I buy the Haggis from him. Our Sr. Pastor (who is from Scotland) takes what's left home with him, he likes it, I take that as a good sign.

At the Burn's Supper this past January, the Chef at the country club prepared Haggis using his own receipe, he did well and received loads of compliments of his Haggis.

I haven't tried the canned Caledonian Haggis, so I can't comment on it.

[Colin]

'merica has nay real haggis... it is against the USDA rules...

the 'Oatmeal Savage' (in Oregon) makes a guid substitute.... but ai found it a bit heavy oan the 'liverish' meat and no enough oatmeal ar spice... so ai always opened his oop and stuffed in maire oatmeal an spices when ai made it....

if it tasted like liverwurst it wasnae made richt....

REAL Haggis is terrific stuff... it is very spicy...very oaty... wunnerfool!

ai cook slices o it every mornin' for breakfast at Ferintosh an eat it a couple times a week mysel....

the tinned stuff ai'm afeart o' an have no tried it....

oor butcher has won many awards fair his haggii (an other meats)

ai hav a amazin'ly tasty recipe fair cooking a 'hale haggii... (w/ prunes and apricots and lots o whisky ....) which ai cook fair Burns Suppers.... everwan (an ai mean everywan) who has tried it has luv'd it!

Ah, but Canada does!!!!
I don't think I could bring myself to eat the tinned haggis, but than again I am one of the luvky ones and have several sources close by that make haggis from scratch. Like Adam, I don't often search it out, but I have had it several times and numerous events. If I find haggis on a menu I will usually order it. Having haggis at the games food vendor is not the best way to enjoy it. I first tried it in Portree (on Skye) and it was served with bashed neps on one side and tatties on the other. It was awesome.

Have it as a meal, not as a gimmick. It's also better if you catch the wee beastie yourself ;-)

[starbkjrus]

A few years ago I was sitting in a Scottish pub in Windsor, ON and for whatever reason there was a piping in the haggis cermony. When they went past and I saw the haggis sitting there on the plate looking like it could rise up and eat Pittsburgh I swore I'd never ever eat THAT.

But, in nosing around planning next year's trip to the UK I ran across the full scottish breakfast pic on P1M's website. It looks very tasty. After all I'm from down south and anything fried crispy is considered fair game. If I can get six of my close friends to split P1M's breccy with me I'm going to have to try it.

(P1M, one person can actually eat that much food? )

[Macman]

The first time I tried it I was not impressed. It was in a pub on St. Andrew's Eve and dry as dust. Since then, I've had way better. There are a few places here that make it for Robbie Burns Night, and at least one Scottish butcher that makes it all year round. They'll slice off a frozen "round" for you if that's all you want. There's is wonderful stuff - spicy and oatey like P1M says. I've gotten lots of people to try it who've never had haggis before, and all are pleasantly surprised. They eat so much of it at our Burns Nights that I now have to buy two haggises so I can have some leftovers. It freezes and microwaves well, and it's good for breakfast too. I think it gets a bad rap because many people picture eyes, lungs, etc. To paraphrase, haggis and whisky gang thegither!

[Colin]

But, in nosing around planning next year's trip to the UK I ran across the full scottish breakfast pic on P1M's website. It looks very tasty. After all I'm from down south and anything fried crispy is considered fair game. If I can get six of my close friends to split P1M's breccy with me I'm going to have to try it.

(P1M, one person can actually eat that much food? )

Ah, the full Scottish breakfast is a thing of beauty. It warms the insides for the entire day and makes lunch unnecessary. We do a not-so-full Scottish breakfast once a weekend with smaller portions and minus the black pudding (too expensive a the butcher beside me).