January 25th is Burns Night. The birthday and celebration of the life and works of Robert Burns (or Rabbie Burns to his Celtic friends), the Scottish poet and lyricist who is often described as Scotland’s Favourite Son, the Ploughman Poet, Robden of Solway Firth, the Bard of Ayrshire or simply The Bard (not to be confused with the English Bard, William Shakespeare).
Even if you haven’t heard of Robert Burns, you will no doubt have heard and will be familiar with some of his works. Namely, ‘Auld Lang Syne’ (that we all know from hazy New Year celebrations) and ‘Scots Wha Hae’ (Scotland’s unofficial national anthem) being the most well known.
Burns Night is, obviously, celebrated in Scotland, but is also considered an ideal opportunity in England and the rest of the world to partake of a hearty meal (more of which later) and the accompanying liquid refreshment. My 5 year old thinks he is Scottish and my husband’s family are well acquainted with this tradition as my Mother-in-law shares Rabbie’s birthday and they have often celebrated with Haggis, neeps & tatties washed down with generous measures of single malt whiskey. So what is Haggis? I would suggest that those of a delicate disposition look away now. Haggis is a sheep’s stomach packed with the offal of the sheep (lungs, liver, heart, tongue), suet (animal fat) and oats along with onions, salt, pepper and herbs. The offal must first be boiled in salt water and then minced before being combined with the other ingredients and stuffed into the sheep stomach, returned to the boiling water. Once cooked, the haggis is plated and a piper will pipe it into the room. and then served with neeps (turnips) and tatties (potatoes). It really does taste a lot better than it sounds! And it’s thanks to Robert Burns that we now associate Haggis with Burns night and Scotland as it was he that wrote the poem Address To A Haggis (translation upon request!).
Malcolm Johnston is Scottish, so stop by and say hello on "Burns Night.
Address To A Haggis
Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o' the puddin-race!
Aboon them a' ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy o' a grace
As lang's my arm.
The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdies like a distant hill,
Your pin wad help to mend a mill
In time o' need,
While thro' your pores the dews distil
Like amber bead.
His knife see rustic Labour dight,
An' cut you up wi' ready sleight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like ony ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reekin, rich!
Then, horn for horn,
they stretch an' strive:
Deil tak the hindmost! on they drive,
Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve,
Are bent lyke drums;
Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive,
"Bethankit!" 'hums.
Is there that owre his French ragout
Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad mak her spew
Wi' perfect sconner,
Looks down wi' sneering, scornfu' view
On sic a dinner?
Poor devil! see him ower his trash,
As feckless as a wither'd rash,
His spindle shank, a guid whip-lash,
His nieve a nit;
Thro' bloody flood or field to dash,
O how unfit!
But mark the Rustic, haggis fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread.
Clap in his walie nieve a blade,
He'll mak it whissle;
An' legs an' arms, an' heads will sned,
Like taps o' thrissle.
Ye Pow'rs wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o' fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware
That jaups in luggies;
But, if ye wish her gratefu' prayer,
Gie her a haggis!
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