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The Haggis Thread

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floyd23a1

Gone But Not Forgotten
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When did you last go hunting for haggis. You could set up a lucrative haggis safari business for US tourists apparently! :)

Haggis hunt

Tourists dream of hunting haggis

A third of US tourists who were quizzed about their trip to Scotland said they believed the haggis was a creature.
The survey also revealed that almost a quarter of those questioned thought that they could hunt and catch the country's most famous dish.

A thousand people considering a trip to Scotland were questioned about why they wanted to visit and what they expected to see.

One in three of those polled said they believed haggis was a creature and one tourist believed it came out at night and looked like grouse.

Another said the apparently fox-like animal preferred cities.

Haggis maker Hall's, of Broxburn, in West Lothian, teamed up with a US tourism website to question 1,000 Americans about their holidays.

Anna Finlay, of Hall's, said: "It's amazing in this day and age that the myth of the haggis roaming the glens continues to resonate with overseas visitors.

"In a way it is a fantastic compliment for Scotland's most famous dish that it has achieved this level of notoriety.

"However, instead of hunting haggis we'd encourage tourists to attend haggis tastings or order the dish in one of the country's fine restaurants."

The recipe for haggis varies but it can be made using a sheep's stomach bag which holds a mix of sheep's liver, heart and lung, oatmeal, suet, stock, onions and spices.

It has not been known to make a dash for freedom when coming under the knife.
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"It has not been known to make a dash for freedom when coming under the knife"

WRONG!

I have personally witnessed two different occasions when the ceremonial stabbing action caused the haggis to ping most impressively! No FOAF stories here :)

On one occasion it was intact and so just bounced and slid into the guest of honours lap. (We all just acted as if this was part of the tradition and they knew no different!).

On the second the knife cut it and it left a sad tail of oatmeal as it rolled off the table and came to a rather squashy halt against the table leg.

Kath
 
My step-father always used to tell us of the Haggis. Apparently it has four legs, and the two on the right are much shorter than the two on the left. This is because their natural behaviour is to run around the top of (very steep) mountains. To hunt them you go round the opposite side- the haggis will then try to turn around, but because of their odd legs they tumble to the bottom of the mountain, where they are put into a big sack.

It's all true.;)
 
they tumble only if they have not been fitted with Weather-Go-Nimbles.

These are small stilits of wood which are fitted to the shorter legs.

Often carved, stained and decorated and are fine examples of folk art - rather like lace bobbins and love spoons.

And bought by tourists as genuine which just goes to show!

Kath
 
Apparently these tourists have the haggis confused with the North American Snipe!

(The word haggis always brought to mind somehting nasty that should be swimming around in a loch to my mind. Not running around mountaintops.)
 
Apple Juice said:
My step-father always used to tell us of the Haggis. Apparently it has four legs, and the two on the right are much shorter than the two on the left. This is because their natural behaviour is to run around the top of (very steep) mountains. To hunt them you go round the opposite side- the haggis will then try to turn around, but because of their odd legs they tumble to the bottom of the mountain, where they are put into a big sack.

It's all true.;)
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and theres a similar species that have two short left legs and two long right legs :)

and i think theres a 3rd species that lives around ben macdhu which is a tall one legged, one eyed type. which chases people off its territory especially when its very misty or foggy ;)
 
"and theres a similar species that have two short left legs and two long right legs"

Melf, you've missed out that it's the legless offspring of the two types that are seen most often on the dinner table.... because they can't run away????

Kath
 
Don't be afraid - it's just a big fat sausage, and very tasty!
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Ah, how many times have I heard that! :lol:
 
I love haggis too!!! Its haggis, neaps and tatties for me tonight!!!
 
Got ours from a butcher friend in Hamilton, possibly the best in Scotland.

scotland.gif
 
Aye, 'tis a great dish to keep out the cold and I buy haggis two or three times a year.

Looking it up online, I see it is one dish that nostalgic ex-pats can't have sent across the pond. Traditionally the recipe calls for sheep lungs and these are "unfit for human consumption*" in the States. Plenty of US recipes for acceptable haggis online though some of them seem to stray a long way from the original.

Making one at home looks to be a daunting task but the mass produced kind seem tasty enough to me.

*Lungs and consumption were just made for each other! :)
 
Mine's cooking right now. :D
I'll put the tatties on soon.
(I'm giving the neeps a miss, though, although I do like them, well mashed with butter and black pepper.)
 
Just had our Haggis, Tatties (& in my case Carrots, can't be doing with Neeps) - oh the joy of being ethnic Scots in Lancashire..all those people with "You do know what's in a Haggis, don't you?" from the birthplace of Black Pudding - deep-fried Bloodclot & Fat!
 
Youngest winner for haggis honour

Alan Elliot received the title of Scottish haggis champion
A Northern Irish butcher has been crowned the youngest ever Scottish haggis champion.
Alan Elliot, 22, who now runs a shop in Dalbeattie, had never made the famous Scots delicacy until he took over his business in the town in 2004.

It is the first time the title has ever gone to Dumfries and Galloway, although the young butcher originally hails from Cookstown in County Tyrone.

Mr Elliot received his crown at the Scottish Meat Trades awards.

He started in the trade at the age of 15 at his local butchers in Northern Ireland, Joe Hutton and Son.

So far every competition I have entered in I have come up trumps - I am very proud

Alan Elliot

Mr Elliot then took over Dalbeattie Quality Butchers on his 19th birthday in January 2004.

At the time he inherited a haggis recipe which judges reckoned he had "almost totally reinvented".

"Over the past few years I have been changing my recipe and about six months ago I came up with a recipe that I was happy with," he told BBC Scotland news website.

He said he was delighted to have taken a prize for the most Scottish of products.

Quality produce

"I don't have words to describe it," he said.

"It is once every two years and it is the first time I have entered it and I'm only 22 years old.

"So far every competition I have entered in I have come up trumps - I am very proud."

Mr Elliot added that he could not have achieved his success without the support of his staff and the quality meat in south west Scotland.

"All my produce come from within a 40-mile radius of the shop," he said.



http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scot ... 669821.stm
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many_angled_one said:
As an NHS employee in one of the regions named in these reports I can say that we have heard absolutely *nothing* about this, despite reading it in the paper. Besides even if we had we would quite happily just ignore it, being silly, and continue on as usual.
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Doesnt haggis contain pork? Try not to eat it it in front of your muslim colleagues.
 
Haggis is surely a lamb dish traditionally, though transatlantic recipes contain all kinds of substitutes for the lamb lungs, which are not for human consumption there. The search for Pork Haggis does throw up this enthusiastic site, devoted to
promoting friendly relations between Chinese and Scots Canadians:

Gung Haggis Fat Choy

A sample:

"We taste-tested the world's first haggis dim sum tonight. Floata served (to our specifications) deep-fried haggis won-ton, haggis har gau (shrimp dumplings), haggis su mei (pork dumplings) + vegetarian spring rolls. The haggis shrimp dumplings was the best. Very tasty... there were positive compliments right away. Haggis pork dumplings were good too. Har gau shrimp dumplings and su mei pork dumplings are classic cantonese dim sum items. They are not overwhelmed by the addition of the haggis. We asked the restaurant chefs not to put too much haggis in - just enough to give it the taste. People will like these new additions to our culinary menu. "

Perhaps we would manage better the multi-cultural thing if we celebrated more and cringed a lot less. :)
 
I had post-modern haggis in Edinburgh a few years ago. It was ziggaraut shaped with haggis, neaps & tatties slotted into each other.
 
ramonmercado said:
I try not to think of Scotland.
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Scotland is thinking of you...











.. in a totally 'Village of the Damned' kind of way..
 
Creamstick1 said:
ramonmercado said:
I try not to think of Scotland.
Click to expand...

Scotland is thinking of you...


.. in a totally 'Village of the Damned' kind of way..
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Hah! Next time I visit yer National Archives I'll torch 'em. Actually I'll do it right now with mah ESP powers. Zap! Take that!

Awa wi' ye!
 
ramonmercado said:
Creamstick1 said:
ramonmercado said:
I try not to think of Scotland.
Click to expand...

Scotland is thinking of you...


.. in a totally 'Village of the Damned' kind of way..
Click to expand...

Hah! Next time I visit yer National Archives I'll torch 'em. Actually I'll do it right now with mah ESP powers. Zap! Take that!

Awa wi' ye!
Click to expand...

Aw man!

What are we supposed to do with a dozen slightly scorched circa 1976 Irn Bru bottles, a melted video of the 1996 Raith Rovers v Bayern Munich UEFA Cup ties and a burnt pie?!!
 
Creamstick1 said:
Aw man!

What are we supposed to do with a dozen slightly scorched circa 1976 Irn Bru bottles, a melted video of the 1996 Raith Rovers v Bayern Munich UEFA Cup ties and a burnt pie?!!
Click to expand...

Ask Marvin Andrews for a miracle?
 
WhistlingJack said:
Batter them? ;)
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It's too late for that my friend - it'll have to be four large Doner Kebabs*!




*One for eating (even though I don't like the meat), one for leaving in the taxi, and two for throwing.
 
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