If You Wear a Kilt, You Gotta' Have Haggis!

[Surly Dave]

It's ironic that a dish that was once part part of the staple diet of the people of Scotland is now considered to be something of a rare delicacy!

The same is true for Lutefisk for the people of Scandinavia. Every year at Christmas thousands o' pounds fly out the door of various specialty shops in the area. Churches host Lutefisk suppers, old folks homes bring it in by the truck load, families argue over who makes it best...if there was actually a good way to cook it. The only way I can eat it is if I cook it. Then I know it was done right. (The wife is 100% Swede and it's mandatory for the Holy Days).

I hope to try haggis sometime. I'll probably end up making it myself because I wouldn't know where to get it here in the frozen north. Also, it seems like one of those dishes that I want to 'quality control' through the whole process.

[Jack Daw]

When we were in Scotland back in 2000 we had haggis at several different places, all made to somewhat different recipes. I enjoyed and would like to find a place over here that made it as though it were food to be enjoyed and not just something to try.

The haggis at the North Texas Highland games is the Caledonian Kitchen canned stuff. It's not terrible, but it pales in comparison to the 'real' thing.

Think of it like meatloaf (which is similar, different meat of course). I make meatloaf the way my mother taught me and my family raves about it. Take a version of my home made meatloaf, stick it in a can, and send it overseas. I guarantee those who use it as a point of reference will wonder why anyone would brag about something that tastes like that.

I figured their haggis would be better'n ours. But, have you ever had a hamburger made in Scotland? The score is even, my friend. The worst 'burger' was at the Greyfriar Bobby's Pub in Edinburgh. I refuse to describe it for fear of being banned. No offense intended to the Brits as I didn't want the burgers to taste good b/c that it ours to do right.

[hallmarktex]

I figured their haggis would be better'n ours. But, have you ever had a hamburger made in Scotland? The score is even, my friend. The worst 'burger' was at the Greyfriar Bobby's Pub in Edinburgh. I refuse to describe it for fear of being banned. No offense intended to the Brits as I didn't want the burgers to taste good b/c that it ours to do right.

We pretty much stuck to native fare on our trip, but my wife and I decided that if we ever want to get adventurous we're going to move to Edinburgh and open a TexMex restaurant. Several English towns have one and they are constantly packed.

[graham_s]

I've got a macsweens haggis sitting in the fridge for friday.
I'll be having it with Broth (to my own recipie) to start with and crannochan as a sweet.
Obviously I'll be serving it from the stomach itself and with champit tatties and neeps

[Andrewson]

Down here in southern England it is relatively easy to get McSween's haggis and we eat and enjoy it regularly - with tatties and neeps and a wee spot of single malt.

The spicy taste always makes me long for a taste of Scottish Black Pudding (made from pig's blood) - it is much tastier (and more peppery) than the bland stuff they eat down here. So far I haven't found an authentic source.

[sharpdressedscot]

haven't had it....yet.

[McMurdo]

I have haggis frequently it's not just for Burns Night, at the Fergus Highland Games last year I almost lived on the haggis on a bun.

[graham_s]

I eat it regularly, not just on its own, but as an ingredient.
try it in a chicken breast with a whisky cream sauce over the top.

Tasty.

[Jack Daw]

Down here in southern England it is relatively easy to get McSween's haggis and we eat and enjoy it regularly - with tatties and neeps and a wee spot of single malt.

The spicy taste always makes me long for a taste of Scottish Black Pudding (made from pig's blood) - it is much tastier (and more peppery) than the bland stuff they eat down here. So far I haven't found an authentic source.

I was told the best way to eat a real haggis was with LOTS of black pepper. In Texas, the tendancy would be to dump a load of sliced jalepeno peppers into it before cooking. I understand there's also a sauce to pour over it, too. Is that HP or something else? We can actually get HP here in the States, if there is an international food store around. I've poured HP onto my shepherd's pie before.

When I visited Scotland in 2003, I traveled about all over the Highlands and a bit of the Lowlands and Islands over a 3-week period. (It was the greatest fun I ever had.) As I was sometimes too busy to eat lunch, I never passed up the "full Scottish breakfast" at all the B&Bs. More often than not, I would eat the black pudding knowing exactly what it was. Eating beans for breakfast seemed more unusual, but I always at those.

One thing's for certain, because I asked, you ain't gettin' the chef to make a chicken-fried steak at the Brander Lodge no matter what.

[Robert Lamb]

I had a large portion Sat night at a Robert Burns dinner. This not the first time nor will it be the last. There is no place around here to be had. I can get it frozen from Charles Lamb at Lamb Etc in Roesburg.
Robert "the kilted" Lamb