BS: Haggis Virgin No More!

Subject: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: Kim C
Date: 26 Jan 01 - 02:44 PM

I finally did it. Yesterday. Ate haggis for the first time. Granted, it was haggis in a can, which will probably not please you purists. But here in Tennessee that's all I can get, and it was made in Scotland so there you go.

Lemme tell you something - it was good. It was damn good. It was pretty rich-tasting so we didn't finish it all off. But I figured, if haggis in a can is good, Fresh must be even better. So I am looking forward to a Fresh one if ever I can get my Fiddlebum across the pond.

Cheers --- KFC

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 26 Jan 01 - 02:45 PM

What's the big deal.. it's just haggis... sure it's good, but it's not the end-all-and-be-all...

;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 26 Jan 01 - 02:48 PM

(You do know of course, I'm just stirring the Mudcat pot eh!)

;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: Matt_R
Date: 26 Jan 01 - 02:48 PM

Haggis in a CAN??? There's a song challenge in that!

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: Kim C
Date: 26 Jan 01 - 02:49 PM

I forgot to mention on the Interesting Facts thread that I'll eat just about anything once. :)

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 26 Jan 01 - 02:54 PM

We'll talk later Kim...

*evil grin*

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 26 Jan 01 - 02:54 PM

Can't stand the stuff. Think it's offal!

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: Julia
Date: 26 Jan 01 - 03:07 PM

When I saw the thread title, I thought it must be referring to the sacrifice of a virgin haggis- I think the Scots must be the only race that venerates a sausage! Two Scottish singer friends were hired to play a Burns Nicht in Istanbul.They were also tasked with the job of bringing a 40 lb haggis into a Muslim country (Apparently there's some kind of law about unaccompanied haggis) They both speak "braid Scots".Anyway, imagine trying to explain this thing to a guy in a turban with an AK47 who isn't even supposed to think about what it's made of...Guess the guy finally decided they were daft and let them go.

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: catspaw49
Date: 26 Jan 01 - 03:10 PM

Well, I opened this with thoughts of making a joke about a "Haggis Virgin"....the subject is wide open you might say.......but then when I saw Kim had "Haggis in a can," I wanted to tell her that I understand and believe me, those poor Scots have probably only got "Country Ham" in a can!!! THEY are getting the short end on this one!

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 26 Jan 01 - 03:14 PM

With the ungodly number of scotts who emmigrated to north america I find it hard to believe that ANYONE has to settle for haggis in a can... Hell, even here in Windsor we have 2 'deli's' that deal in really good haggis... We can also get Irn Brew just about anywhere, if ya like that kind of thing...

;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: Bert
Date: 26 Jan 01 - 03:17 PM

Haggis in the can. Sounds like that's where it belongs.

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: catspaw49
Date: 26 Jan 01 - 03:19 PM

Well CH, Kim's a good Tennessee girl where people eat REAL food and haggis ain't too high on their list.

Spaw

Subject: Haggis
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 26 Jan 01 - 03:20 PM

stick yer food bigotry...

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: Kim C
Date: 26 Jan 01 - 03:44 PM

Yeah - here in TN we're traditionally pig farmers and don't waste any part of the pig! I figure haggis ain't any worse than giblet gravy, calf fries, chitlins or brains. Like Euell Gibbons used to say, many parts are edible. (I haven't ever eaten chitlins or brains, though. But you can buy em all day long at the grocery, along with beef hearts, tripe, pig ears, pig feet, and neckbones. Not to mention tongue. And I probably shouldn't have.)

I think here in the States there is some rule about animal lungs not being proper for human consumption but hell, we eat plenty of other organs so I don't know what's the big deal about lungs.

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 26 Jan 01 - 03:53 PM

Eat it all... if the role were reversed, you can bet they'd be eating all of us!!

Get 'm before they get you!

LOL!!

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: Kim C
Date: 26 Jan 01 - 03:57 PM

but have you ever noticed that when a cat eats a mouse, they leave the little gall-bladder thing? I heard they won't eat it 'cause it tastes bad.

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: catspaw49
Date: 26 Jan 01 - 04:08 PM

trust me on this Fiddlebum, I NEVER check mouse entrails that closely!!!! And how small is a mouse's gall bladder anyway?

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: Sarah2
Date: 26 Jan 01 - 10:08 PM

I've heard that all Scots cooking is based on a dare...

But, me, I like the stuff. And black bun, and... oh, and just about everything in the Scottish food category except steak and kidney pie. Call me a wimp, but I can't stand to smell it cooking.

Sarah

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: Smok
Date: 26 Jan 01 - 10:17 PM

Kim, at what store did you buy canned haggis? I'm in the south too and if it is a chain store I would like to know. While the stuff sounds vile, as you say it could not be any worse than chitlins. Put it on a biscuit with a little cane syrup, some headcheese and okra and it should be great

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: Bill D
Date: 26 Jan 01 - 11:14 PM

I always did think the Scots got things backwards at some time in the past..it might make more sense to throw the haggis and EAT the caber...

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: Sorcha
Date: 26 Jan 01 - 11:23 PM

I ate the real thing once, long ago in Salt Lake City at a Burns nite, and I didn't think it was too bad. Kim, if you really want, I have a recipe for the stuff. We have a slaughter house here, and at County Fair time they butcher all the 4-H lambs. I had this vision once of making haggis for a reenactment event--I back the truck up to the kill ramp, and order:
50 sheep stomachs
25 pr. lights (lungs)
15 sheep brains.......etc.

Then I thought about actually cooking the stuff in my kitchen---nixed the idea very fast!

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: Gypsy
Date: 26 Jan 01 - 11:37 PM

And i thought it was only in my area where you could hear: On the Trading Times Radio Show, a local looking for sheeps lungs! And was willing to pay. Burns supper is at the wrong time of the year. No one around here is butchering lamb in January. Just born. (howz THAT for stirring up the pot, eh?)

Subject: MMmmmm.... Virgin...
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 27 Jan 01 - 08:03 AM

Newborn is the tenderest of meat though...

*lip smacking*
;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: Hollowfox
Date: 27 Jan 01 - 10:23 AM

Why would the Turks have a problem with haggis? It's made with sheep, not pig. It amazes me that countries that have scrapple, scouse or head cheese would complain about haggis. Maybe the complainers have an aversion to eating oats.

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: Lepus Rex
Date: 27 Jan 01 - 01:58 PM

And why would a Turk be wearing a turban?

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: GUEST,shankmac
Date: 28 Jan 01 - 06:01 AM

There is a World Champion haggis maker called Lindsay Grieve who sends vacuum packed fresh hagis all over the world, just contact him and he will put it in the post and then you can taste what it really should be like.....

Lindsay Grieve, Butchers, 29 High Street, Hawick, Scottish Borders, Scotland. Tel [phone]

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 28 Jan 01 - 11:57 AM

hey cool!

Any idea what the cryin' papers say about a deal like that?

;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: Kim C
Date: 29 Jan 01 - 10:13 AM

Smok - I got it from the Scottish Lion catalog. It's $9 a can. A little pricey, but hey... gotta treat yerself once in a while.

Sorcha -- I think I will stick with the can! ;)

KFC

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 29 Jan 01 - 10:39 AM

I tried it once at Burns night and to my surprise I enjoyed it very much. I'd certainly have no qualms about having it again.

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: Les from Hull
Date: 29 Jan 01 - 10:49 AM

If this wasn't an ethnic food with a history and a folklore of its own, would anybody eat it at all? From choice? Most of us have reasonable access to real food now.

Mind you, I know people who eat black pudding from choice.

Les

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 29 Jan 01 - 10:49 AM

I have had haggisis (haggii???) before but on Saturday had Haggis canapes - lumps of the stuff on toasted pitta bread - Cosmopolitan or what???

And just to match Geoff the Ducks pun on offal we had venison as the main meal. Very nice but I thought it was dead dear....

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: Lyrical Lady
Date: 29 Jan 01 - 10:57 AM

I cooked haggis for 160 on Saturday night and told everyone that if they ate it they would regain their virginity .... hardly had any left over! Lyrical Lady

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: Kim C
Date: 29 Jan 01 - 12:02 PM

Now what exactly is black pudding? I know it's been mentioned here before but it was all so mysterious-like...

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: Les from Hull
Date: 29 Jan 01 - 12:44 PM

Kim - It's a blood pudding with big lumps of fat in it. It's a Northern thing in England, usually sliced and fried as part of the 'full English breakfast' (a heart attack on a plate - sausages, bacon, fried bread, tomato, baked beans, black pudding, fried mushrooms).

Healthy eating - Les

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 29 Jan 01 - 12:49 PM

Sounds great Les!

A haggis tip... try mixing some in with your turkey stuffing... Mmmmmmmmm!!

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: Abby Sale
Date: 29 Jan 01 - 12:54 PM

Kim C: Quite right - a sausage is a sausage Mrs.Duck: Can't stand the stuff. Think it's offal!

big :-)

Thing is, like any sausage, it depends on just how it's made, what it's "cut" with, what seasonings... it varies. I could never stand the usual boiled type & the mushy boiled turnips are yucch. BUT, good fresh-made frying haggis (sausage form) is another thing & can be used any way you'd use any other sausage. I believe I still hold the patent & secret recipe for my famous spaghetti with haggis sauce. Still fondly remembered by many. And also just remembered by others.

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: Bert
Date: 29 Jan 01 - 12:59 PM

The only one Haggis that I ever tasted was heavily filled with oatmeal. It was OK. but nothing special.

I would imagine that you could take any scrapple recipe and replace the cornmeal with oatmeal and come pretty close.

Bert. (who is a great recipe cobbler)

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: Kim C
Date: 29 Jan 01 - 01:07 PM

Bert, I thought the same thing! :)

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: catspaw49
Date: 29 Jan 01 - 01:55 PM

I'm with Kim and Bert. Nothing special and it could just as well be made pork or beef "parts" as scrapple is. All of them are fun to joke about.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: PatJoe
Date: 29 Jan 01 - 02:04 PM

Canned haggis, oh boy! Click here for a haggis recipe and a possible insight why that local looking for sheep's lungs.

We had 320 at our Burns night dinner, Saturday and we had a load of good old New Jersey haggis left over, next year I try the virginity thing.

Click here for info about organizing a Burns night.

Joe

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 29 Jan 01 - 04:47 PM

Hey Dave stop giving my puns to Geoff and anyway I really did think it was offal!!! As for Burns night see the pictures on the new mudcat photoloft complete with the ritual slaughter of the haggis.

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: Bert
Date: 29 Jan 01 - 04:49 PM

So next Burns night we can pipe in the Scrapple.

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 29 Jan 01 - 05:26 PM

A website with lots of haggis links is Lloyd's House of Haggis

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: Abby Sale
Date: 29 Jan 01 - 11:15 PM

Not sure if liver counts as offal or not but per my recollection it's simply liver (usually), oatmeal, some extra fat, a little salt, onion, a lot of ordinary black pepper. If sausage type it goes in a natural skin casing (intestine) or may be the plasticy stuff salami comes in is for the salami-size kind. Boiling haggis is the same stuff stuffed in a sheep stomach.

Subject: RE: BS: Haggis Virgin No More!
From: kimmers
Date: 30 Jan 01 - 01:36 AM

Boy, I've been in a lot of delicatessens and never seen any haggis. Maybe we don't have enough Scotsmen in the Pacific NW. I've always thought it would be a fun thing to serve to unsuspecting guests. Any idea where I can get some?