Haggis and kilts? No Yanks

[Moski]

Wow, are we to the point that not eating one item on the menu is insulting. I never knew that a burns supper was about haggis. I thought it was about the memory of the Man and his works. Were there no other "traditional" Scottish dishes on the menu? Are there not even Scots that don't like haggis. It seems that Kilts are very often worn to the suppers but since when are they mandated by ettiquette.

I grew up in the South with all manner of "Southern" food and I still refuse to eat organs. Is that an insult to the hertage of the south of by passing up on hurling from eating something i think is absolutly disgusting. It's not about having testicular fortitude, Manning up, or any other macho rubbish. If you like to try new things i applaud you. If you are content with your range of current dishes, I applaud you. Nothing insulting about stating beforehand that he won't be trying any. It's not a measure of my open mindedness, or my "maturity", it's my choice as an adult what I'll eat or not eat.

[macwilkin]

Wow, are we to the point that not eating one item on the menu is insulting. I never knew that a burns supper was about haggis. I thought it was about the memory of the Man and his works. Were there no other "traditional" Scottish dishes on the menu? Are there not even Scots that don't like haggis. It seems that Kilts are very often worn to the suppers but since when are they mandated by ettiquette.

I grew up in the South with all manner of "Southern" food and I still refuse to eat organs. Is that an insult to the hertage of the south of by passing up on hurling from eating something i think is absolutly disgusting. It's not about having testicular fortitude, Manning up, or any other macho rubbish. If you like to try new things i applaud you. If you are content with your range of current dishes, I applaud you. Nothing insulting about stating beforehand that he won't be trying any. It's not a measure of my open mindedness, or my "maturity", it's my choice as an adult what I'll eat or not eat.

Of course, one of the works of RB recited at a Burns Supper is "The Address to a Haggis".

T.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Wow, are we to the point that not eating one item on the menu is insulting.

Looked at from a different perspective, I think it was the attitude that was displayed by postings on various social networks, before the event, that offended some people. Was I offended? No. I think the guys involved-- like many professional sports figures-- showed a high degree of self-indulgent arrogance, that's all. I can't imagine, for one second, a member of this forum posting on a social networking site that they would be attending a Langston Hughes Dinner, but flat out weren't going to eat grits and okra. You might leave them on your plate, untouched, but I doubt you'd be rude enough to publicly complain about dinner, before it was served.

[freddie]

I love Haggis! :mrgreen:

T.

I love Haggis and wearing kilts!!!

[rocscotjoe]

Looked at from a different perspective, I think it was the attitude that was displayed by postings on various social networks, before the event, that offended some people. Was I offended? No. I think the guys involved-- like many professional sports figures-- showed a high degree of self-indulgent arrogance, that's all. I can't imagine, for one second, a member of this forum posting on a social networking site that they would be attending a Langston Hughes Dinner, but flat out weren't going to eat grits and okra. You might leave them on your plate, untouched, but I doubt you'd be rude enough to publicly complain about dinner, before it was served.

Thank you...

[Schiehallion]

Sad, but I can understand it. Some guys see wearing anything but trousers as questioning their sexuality.

Regarding Burns Supper...The Church of Scotland in London at their Burns Night do not encourage the wearing of kilts as Burns was a lowlander and was not known to be kilted. He also was living in the period when tartans and kilts were only worn in the military. (1746 -1792) as they were prohibited following Culloden.

There is an engraving of Burns dancing 'The Triumph" at a ceilidh and he wears breeches of the period

[OC Richard]

To flip it around for the USA, imagine the LA Galaxy having a Thanksgiving dinner (well that's hard to imagine but stay with me here) and a couple of foreign players refusing to partake of the turkey.

That would raise no eyebrows at all, because many people don't eat meat at all.

Years ago I took a course called "Cross-Cultural Communication" and the teacher said not to expect people from other cultures to like our dishes that blend fruit and sugar like Apple Pie... she said that in many countries that's considered disgusting. So if the foreign players skipped the traditional Apple Pie that wouldn't surprise me.

I picked out the traditional Thanksgiving dinner because it's the one meal of the year that emphasizes native foods like turkey, yams, pumpkin, and maize, things that a foreigner might not have been exposed to.

Likewise in many cultures people don't eat cheese or any other dairy products, indeed all adults being lactose intolerant. (Not that cheese plays a role in the traditonal Thankgiving Dinner but we eat other cheese-based things like pizza).

[mddock58]

I find it interesting that they put off trying haggis before the meal started. No doubt they have had Sausages, Hot Dogs, and many other "mixed ground meats" growing up in the US.

Unfortunately Haggis contents are "Overexposed and over-emphasized" by many, so that the mind decides that it is unappealing, and therefore they are not willing to try it.

If we took a good look at many of the foods we eat, we would most likely think twice before eating them.

Many of these types of foods started because the "waste not, want not" attitude of not throwing away food that could be eaten. (We throw away far too much usable food now.)

Just my thoughts...................

[starbkjrus]

That's right; that would be disgusting. Everyone knows you eat mustard on hot dogs.

Now, now. Everyone knows you eat a hotdog with mayonaise and onions.

As far as eating the haggis, the notion of it's ingredients don't really appeal to me. And just so you know, I'm real hesitant about eating sausage as well.

Just don't think about what's in it. You know, like hot dogs or lunch meat.

snip...

going to eat grits and okra. snip...

Now yer talkin'! :food-smiley-002:

[English Bloke]

... As my mother-in-law (who is half Cajun, half Creole) explains it, Cajun is rural, Creole is urban. ...

Cheers Todd. I never new that. I always assumed they were two words descibing same thing. (And I've even been to New Orleans as well... tishk-tishk.)