haggis Archives - My Plaid Heart

I bought a haggis!

My plaid heart is so happy right now.

Before you say “eww,” what I bought isn’t authentic haggis. You can’t get it in the U.S. because the FDA has strict rules about consuming lungs (gross, you say?). What I purchased is made with lamb breast and beef liver. And of course, the traditional oatmeal, onion, and spices that make haggis such a distinctive Scottish food. In the old days, haggis was encased in the lining of a sheep’s stomach (also a little gross, I admit). That has been modernized, with most haggis today presented in either an artificial casing or a casing similar to sausage. Regardless, I’m pretty excited. And just for the record, if given the opportunity – yes, I would try haggis made the traditional way.

It’s the 25th of January, and in Scotland, that means one thing – Burns Night!

Burns Night Suppers are an annual event whereby folks in Scotland and beyond get together to celebrate and commemorate the life and works of Scotland’s beloved national poet, Robert Burns. The Suppers take place each 25th of January on the anniversary of his birthday.

PG_1063Burns_Naysmithcrop — Robert Burns: 1759-1796
Photo: Public Domain

Robert Burns (also known as Robbie, Rabbie, The Ploughman Poet, and the Bard of Ayrshire) is one of Scotland’s favorite sons. You probably know him best as the man who first penned the words to “Auld Lang Syne.” Perhaps you know him by the verse that reads, “O my Luve’s like a red, red rose that’s newly sprung in June.” Or maybe you have a fondness for any one of Rabbie’s other 700+ works. He was a prolific writer and covered such topics as death and war, anguish and greed, religion and politics, love and sex, and many other topics in between.

Although archived and no longer updated, I discovered a BBC page dedicated to Burns that lists 716 poems and songs. It allows you to search for works by title, season, theme, and the year written. Well worth a look if you are interested in Rabbie’s poetry!

Tag: haggis

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