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10 Aug 05 - 07:10 PM (#1539724) Subject: Is Haggis Necessary? From: MissouriMud We played at a "Scottish Bar" last night - here by the banks of the Mississippi. Since our repertoire is mostly Old Timey we were struggling to come up with Scottish based tunes which are also played here (such as Soldiers Joy, Ms McLeods Reel and The Flowers of Edinburgh) - but the mostly non Scottish crowd didnt mind our predominantly mid/US based fiddle music. The food however seemed to be making an effort to be authentic - including haggis- and the seemingly Scottish proprietor seemed quite bent on us trying it. I dodged it this time around but since this is likely a somewhat regular gig at some point I will have to confront the issue. Just what is it that I am putting in my mouth and will it make my backup guitar playing more scottish sounding? Not really a music thread I spose but .. |
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10 Aug 05 - 07:25 PM (#1539733) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: RobbieWilson Don't ask, you really don't want to know. The main ingredient is sheeps lights. |
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10 Aug 05 - 07:27 PM (#1539734) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Bob Bolton G'day MissouriMud, Oxford Dictionary (Australian Concise, 1997): Haggis / n. A Scottish dish consisiting of a sheep or calf's offal mixed with suet, oatmeal, etc., and boiled in a bag made from the animal's stomach or in an artificial bag. Regard(les)s, Bob |
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10 Aug 05 - 07:40 PM (#1539742) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Leadfingers Cheap Haggis is as bad as cheap Sausage !! GOOD Haggis is excellent !!And dont forget the Tatties and Neeps !! |
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10 Aug 05 - 07:40 PM (#1539743) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: John MacKenzie Food of the gods, look what it did for Aly Bain. G.. |
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10 Aug 05 - 07:56 PM (#1539757) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Bonecruncher Why not try the haggis? Is this a case of "I don't like it because i've never tried it"? It's made from the liver and other offal of a sheep, mixed with oatmeal, spices and herbs. It was originally encased and cooked by boiling in the stomach of the sheep but today, like sausage skins, the skin is likely to be man-made. A look at a decent recipe book will tell you this! Similar ingredients are used for faggots, rissoles and meatballs. The ingredients are probably much more wholesome than your average eyelidburger from MacWhatsits. At a Burns Night at our local Folk Club in the South of England not one person refused the haggis, traditionally served with mashed potato and mashed neeps (swede). Colyn. |
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10 Aug 05 - 08:03 PM (#1539760) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: RobbieWilson Clapshot. That's neeps and tatties mixed in equal parts, with lots of butter and black pepper |
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10 Aug 05 - 08:35 PM (#1539774) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: dick greenhaus Think of it as Scottish liverwurst. |
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10 Aug 05 - 08:43 PM (#1539779) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: pdq Haggis was an attempt to make something noble out of leftovers. Like lips, nipples and assholes. We also tried that here in the US. We call the result Democrats. |
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10 Aug 05 - 09:24 PM (#1539793) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: MissouriMud The haggis was served with neeps and tatties, so I guess it may be somewhat authentic. Liver is fine - dont know about the assholes. I guess the broader musical issue is - whether in the face of all this authentic scottishness we should make an effort to have our music have at least a slight scottish shading (which would take a bit of work) or whether, since both the audience and the management seemed happy with our normal non Scottish music, we should just stick to what we know? I just felt a bit odd playing Ozark fiddle tunes with waiters in kilts serving haggis. I'm sure many of you have encountered much stranger situations. |
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11 Aug 05 - 02:17 AM (#1539903) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: GUEST,Bill the Collie You won't like if you don't like spicy food. |
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11 Aug 05 - 02:31 AM (#1539907) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: GUEST,Boab Haggis is a friendly beast. I know---cuz I talk to one every year at the local Burns Supper. Then I eat it; it's GOOD! |
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11 Aug 05 - 02:32 AM (#1539908) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: GUEST,Guest, Big Tim Vegatarian haggis is delicious (MacSwein's): available in all good delis. |
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11 Aug 05 - 10:31 AM (#1539932) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: MMario I have a number of authentic haggis recipes from the early 1600's. the common ingredient is oatmeal. two recipes have no meat, one includes mince, one liver, one has various innards. Though all the recipes call for boiling in a sheeps stomach they mention a pudding cloth can be used, or it can be baked in a pan in the oven. Odd that the one using the innerds is the only one that seems to have survived. |
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11 Aug 05 - 10:42 AM (#1539949) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Abby Sale liverwurst is closest, really. Liver is the primary meat ingredient. However, there is practically no "liver taste" to it. Scottish chip shops commonly serve haggis sausage among the usual other items. The English are (or were) as surprised to find it in a chip shop as they would be to find fried curry there. I found the trad haggis a nasty, mushy concoction - much like neaps. BUT, fried haggis (same ingredients but in a sausage or a salami-size skin) was excellent and could be used in any dish you might have with sauteed meat at all. Eggs, sandwich, etc. I've said it before, but there are still people who fondly remember my spaghetti with haggis sauce. Excellent! |
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11 Aug 05 - 11:17 AM (#1539987) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: JulieF As has been said you've got to eat the good stuff. When I stopped eating meat I thought that this would be the one thing I really missed but the McSweeny vegitarian haggis is a treat - especially the little individual ones. Every time I go up To Edinburgh I have to bring a large number back for friends. Julie |
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11 Aug 05 - 11:33 AM (#1540003) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Emma B McSweens make good haggis and it's even possible to buy "mini" one portion ones but these are in man made skins However for a wondeful experience try the home made ones from the butchers/abbatoir at Blackwaterfoot on the Isle of Arran - we will be celebrating there next week with a tradional supper of haggis tatties and neeps ...and the essential ingredient....a good single malt (or two) |
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11 Aug 05 - 11:42 AM (#1540014) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Charmion You had a musical question among your musings on comestibles. I recommend that you take notes from your audience: if they're having a good time, and the management are likely to give you a steady gig, don't worry about it. I'm sure that expanding your repertoire in a Scots direction would be taken well (especially if you do it well), but from your account they like you as you are. |
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11 Aug 05 - 11:48 AM (#1540022) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Midchuck Kris and I have been working on a song to be called "I Draw the Line at Haggis," to the melody of "Barbara Allen." It's going very slowly, so if anyone wants to consider it a song challenge, that's fine with me. The original rhyme I was trying to fit to it was "...gag us." Peter. |
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11 Aug 05 - 11:48 AM (#1540024) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Leadfingers Bear in mind that trying to sing in dialect could well be a serious error , and SOME scottish songs dont really work well with a 'BBC' accent!! Some Damn Fine songs and tunes to do though !! |
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11 Aug 05 - 12:18 PM (#1540067) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Q (Frank Staplin) Re faggots? (Bonecrusher, post above) I don't dare touch that one, using the (usual but non-pc) American definition! My reaction to suchi is No! but I have tried haggis. Like much ethnic soul food, it is all right on occasion (rare), but not regularly. Now a good hotdog---- |
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11 Aug 05 - 12:38 PM (#1540095) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Ernest just my 2 cents: 1) Haggis is good - try it (as the saying goes: try everything - with the exception of incest or folkdance) 2) Are the people in the place really able to distinguish between scottish and american reels? Must be a great place... 3) With a mudcat-name like yours you shouldn`t be afraid of the looks of the Haggis! Regards Ernest ;o) |
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11 Aug 05 - 12:54 PM (#1540106) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Bunnahabhain Good haggis is very good, and if it's not good, well hope you can only taste the pepper. The McSweens is the best haggis you can get in a packaged form, but as with most things, if you can find a good local butcher, then the fresh one will be better. Of course I maybe biased, as I'll be having haggis this evening. Don't worry too much about learning Scottish tunes for it. Stick to what you know, and learn new stuff in the normal fashion, ie hearing something, not catching the musician ,and spending months looking out for it agian. Plus ,we do Scottish dances to all sorts of stuff, from tradional scottish stuff, to Gilbert and Sullivan tunes, and plenty of American tunes. |
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11 Aug 05 - 01:21 PM (#1540140) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: GUEST,Russ Ate haggis for the first time while in Scotland. Simply wanted to be able to say that I had tried it. Ended up liking it, much to my surprise. |
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11 Aug 05 - 01:31 PM (#1540152) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: MissouriMud Probably most of the audience would notbe able to distinuish a scottish reel from an american one. Many would only recognize an instrumental scottish tune if it were played on bagpipe or made to sound like it. The few scottish fiddle tunes I have heard played by a Scot seemed to have a different lilt than our more straight driving rhythms, as most of our stuff has been adapted for playing square and contra dances. Actually a good many of the tunes we play have at least some roots in Scottish/Irish/English tunes, although outside of a few obvious ones we havent done much detailed pedigree history research beyond the US to know which ones are more Scottish than say Irish. A lot came over with the Irish immgration groups who were I believe more numerous than Scottish immigrants. As such we probably unwittingly played more Irish based tunes than Scottish - but without causing a ruckus. Most venues we play are not as ostensibly themed to a different country so I was curious as to whether we should make any adjustments. Given the above the comments, we'll keep doing what we know best until someone tels us they dont like it. Fortunately we do very few vocal tunes, so the issue of singing in dialect has not come up and is not likely to. I don't think any of us would feel comfortable trying to mask our Missouri twang with a BBC accent let alone a phony scottish brogue - we is what we is (even though I'm from Connecticut originally so I dont have much accent). As for the Mud - thats mostly on my shoes not in my stomach. Being at the convergence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers there is a lot of mud that travels a long way to get here, but I try my best not to ingest it. I'll try the haggis next time - but I may try to find out what "version" they are serving simply so I know what to expect. It appeared to be in slices so either it was fried or done like a pece of meat loaf. Not sure that you can improve the taste as you can with the relatively mild grits they serve a bit south of here by adding stuff like butter, sugar, syrup, cheese etc. |
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11 Aug 05 - 01:59 PM (#1540189) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: LilyFestre Is Haggis Necessary? In a word....NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Been there, tried that...never again!!!! Did they bring the haggis out carried by 4 men on a platter and then sing to it/addressing the haggis? Saw it done in Scotland.... Michelle |
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11 Aug 05 - 03:53 PM (#1540334) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Little Robyn My young brother came to a Scots evening one night and turned his nose up at the haggis. But he loves pate so I suggested he thought about pate as he tried just a little. Yum! He loved it. He went back for seconds, then thirds and finally cleaned up the left-overs afterwards. We enjoyed faggots (rather like meatballs) when we were in Britain but you don't see them here in NZ. Robyn |
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11 Aug 05 - 06:27 PM (#1540526) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: PoppaGator I beg to differ ~ haggis probably is necessary if you want to become a more authentially Scottish perfomer (even just a little bit more authentic). I know I certainly became a much better blues singer after my first exposure to grits and collard greens. ;^) Don't be put off by lurid descriptions of what haggis is made from. Do you eat sausage of any kind? Imagine your favorite sausage, or pate, etc. ~ believe me, if anyone had described the contents to you first, you would have been reluctant to ever take your first taste; but it's good, isn't it? |
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11 Aug 05 - 06:51 PM (#1540566) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Tattie Bogle My English husband asked for the gravy and was told to throw some whisky over it! We never eat it otherwise now, but don't waste your best single malt on it, keep that for the never-ending toasts afterwards! Bon Carleyjorn!! TB |
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11 Aug 05 - 06:58 PM (#1540596) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Little Hawk It is neither necessary nor desirable. |
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11 Aug 05 - 07:21 PM (#1540626) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Ned Ludd Haggis was once neccesary when folk couldnt afford the meat. Just like drip sarnies in the war. |
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11 Aug 05 - 07:28 PM (#1540633) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Malcolm Douglas If you aren't used to haggis, don't boil or steam it; it's inclined to come out flabby and flavourless. You'll like it better baked or roasted (actually that comes to the same thing). Crispy skin, yum. If it's real gut, of course; avoid artificial "skin". Also avoid deep-fried haggis. Scotland has about the worst rate of heart disease and tooth decay in the whole of Europe. It's the home, after all, of the deep-fried Mars Bar. |
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11 Aug 05 - 08:32 PM (#1540690) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Pauline L I play a lot of Scottish fiddle music, and I have never eaten, nor do I want to eat, haggis. I know what haggis is but, being american, I did not know what neeps were. I do know that "tatties" can be translated as "potatoes." I did some research on Google and found a very interesting recipe for haggis with bashed neeps (translation: turnips) and Champit tatties. Now would someone tell me what Champit is? A brand name? A variety of potatoes/tattties? |
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11 Aug 05 - 08:37 PM (#1540694) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Peace I think it's mashed potatoes. |
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12 Aug 05 - 01:05 AM (#1540959) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: JohnInKansas I'm afraid Haggis (as a foodstuff) is unknown in my region. At least I've never seen, heard, touched, smelled, or tasted it. I have been told by some who claimed "celtic" connections that cooking haggis was a good thing - - - as it removed from availability those "membranous parts" of various creatures that might otherwise be available for the making of ....... bags for pipes. I can't recall any of those who claimed knowledge of the product in my presence ever commenting on the action of eating it. Perhaps they didn't know that that is it's intended use. It seems that quite a lot of "celtic lore" that circulates here is based on less than perfect knowledge. Having visited Japan briefly on business, where I learned that the "courtesy" expressed by Japanese businessmen in taking "foreign visitors" to exotic dining places was really to see if they could make the visitors sick so that they would have something to tell jokes about for a few months after, by comparison some of the above descriptions of Haggis sound quite tasty. The Japanese, incidentally, failed quite miserably with my group. Although one of the younger engineers exhibited some mild "greening around the gills" I suspect it was more due to the "personal attendant" that he - being the only bachelor in the group - was offered. She was not all that pretty, and I'm sure he had no idea what use he was expected to make of her services. They had no offerings even remotely comparable to our own "Possum on a Plank," or other delicacies I would have offered should they have reciprocated the visit. Without a good "Tex-Mex" or "Thai" recipe for haggis, I'm afraid it has little chance of penetrating the local purveyers of fine foods in my locale; but I shall keep an eye out for some. John |
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12 Aug 05 - 01:09 AM (#1540962) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Peace Careful where you put that eye. It might well end up in the haggis. |
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12 Aug 05 - 01:17 AM (#1540965) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Peace Good site. |
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12 Aug 05 - 02:09 AM (#1540977) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: GUEST,.gargoyle Should be included as one of the essentail six food groups.
Loaded with Iron, and all the B's, not to mention a goat-load of fiber.
Man could exist on Haggis (and beer) alone.
Sincerely,
Provided to our troops in Iriaq....the scurvy, scum, of inserection may be irradicated inside of next month. |
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12 Aug 05 - 10:25 AM (#1541003) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: MMario Robert May the Art and Mystery of Cookery To Make a Haggas pudding in a sheeps paunch Take good store of parsley, savory, thyme, onions, oatmeal groats chopped together and mingled with some beef or mutton suet minced together and some cloves, mace, pepper ans salt. fill the paunch, sow it up and boil it. Then being boiled, serve it in a dish and cut a hole in the top of it and put in some beaten butter with two or three yolks of eggs dissolved in the butter or none. this one may do for a fasting day, and put no suet in it, and put it in a napkin or bag . |
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12 Aug 05 - 10:30 AM (#1541009) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Dave Hanson Great cheiftain 'o the pudding race [ Burns ] I'm English and I love it, don't knock it till you've tried it. eric |
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12 Aug 05 - 10:32 AM (#1541011) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: MMario should be easy to do either a 'Thai' or 'Tex-Mex version.... |
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12 Aug 05 - 11:01 AM (#1541038) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Uncle_DaveO "Is Haggis Necessary?" No, it's not. Neither are porterhouse steak, asparagus with hollandaise sauce, or Mom's apple pie NECESSARY. Neither are grits with red-eye gravy, nor beans, bacon and gravy, nor lutefisk NECESSARY. Every one of those dishes is held dear to the hearts of some, and viewed with apathy or alarm by others. I happen to view steaks, as a class, with intense ennui (if there can be such a thing). But the few times I've been exposed to haggis, I've enjoyed it. I wouldn't go WAY out of my way for it, but it was tasty and enjoyable. I certainly enjoy good examples of haggis's close relative, scrapple. (Note that I said "good examples"; I've had a lot of exposures to scrapple where it was pretty much tasteless. I'm sure the same applies to haggis.) Just take it in stride: "Different strokes for different blokes." Now, LUTEFISK....... Dave Oesterreich |
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12 Aug 05 - 11:05 AM (#1541041) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Ringer Came across this quotation just this lunchtime: (from memory) "No Scot has ever tasted haggis; they have always drunk so much whisky beforehand that they would just as well be eating boiled knitting". Richard Gordon |
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12 Aug 05 - 11:10 AM (#1541049) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Uncle_DaveO Some people might snidely suggest that's why they drink so much whiskey! Dave Oesterreich |
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12 Aug 05 - 11:24 AM (#1541053) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: MMario Now - as to the original question - Is Haggis Necessary? The Role of the Wild Haggis in the pollination of heather; in the rapid recycling of fewmets into the biosphere; and in the triggering of spawning in salmon are all studies that have undergone intense interest in recent years. There is evidence that the role of the haggis is essential in these and other ecological cycles. |
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12 Aug 05 - 01:00 PM (#1541126) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: GUEST,Welsh just Another part of the scotch pseudo-culture, along with tartan, bagpipes and whisky. |
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12 Aug 05 - 01:05 PM (#1541134) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: MMario I think Scotch is distilled, not cultured. Kumiss is cultured, beer and ale are cultured. Tartan is chinese though, haven't you heard? they have discovered tartan clothes in a burial site. |
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12 Aug 05 - 01:09 PM (#1541136) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: GUEST,Welsh Welll it's certainly not scotch. |
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12 Aug 05 - 01:27 PM (#1541151) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: John MacKenzie Ah Welsh some would say that there is more culture in a pot of yoghurt than in the whole of the Welsh nation. Not that I any more than you would dare cast such a racial slur. Giok |
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12 Aug 05 - 08:17 PM (#1541403) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: gnomad I have eaten a variety of foods, including donkey, and quite likely dog too, but am still a picky sort of customer. I am unsure whether I will ever taste haggis. At age 8 or so, on holiday on the Isle of Skye, I witnessed the preparation of a haggis (sorry vegy types but I cannot consider your alternatives as being a proper comparison) by an old lady who had a wash-tub full of the contents of a sheep, which she proceeded to scrub with a brush on the side of a burn. Her culinary efforts took place just upstream of where I went to draw drinking water from the burn. After that I went a bit further. She handled the bits just like normal laundry, turning them inside-out, so that the current could do a good rinsing job, and giving another scrub for good measure. The smell was beyond description, and lives with me to this day. It was not appetising, and looked pretty appalling too, only olives and lentils are khaki food in my book. That said, I have since eaten sausages in natural skins, black pudding, and the odd burger here or there. Rationally I know I have certainly eaten worse, and bearing in mind the suggestions that appear above about thinking of pate I think I will try and give it a go next time I encounter it. But I'm dammed if I will seek it out. |
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12 Aug 05 - 11:52 PM (#1541494) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Pauline L After reading the recipes, I'm even less inclined to try eating it. Yuk. ;-( |
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13 Aug 05 - 06:05 AM (#1541594) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Dave Hanson Don't be so bloody soft, taste it, it's delicious. eric |
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13 Aug 05 - 06:29 AM (#1541605) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: John MacKenzie The Greeks do a dish which consists largely of intestines, the preparation of which involves irrigating lots of interesting animal tubes which they then plait [braid] before cooking with other ingredients unknown. Can't remember the Greek name for the dish, but we always called it 'Guts', very nice it tasted too. Why are folks squeamish about some foods, yet happily eat others with extremely dubious/anonymous ingredients quite happily? Giok |
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15 Aug 05 - 04:13 AM (#1541986) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: gnomad It's the "Yuk" factor. If we didn't know, then we would chomp away without a care, but it is very hard to ignore everything you know about the origin of something you are about to eat. |
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15 Aug 05 - 04:44 AM (#1542002) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: mindblaster Well haggis just about sums up the tight fisted scotch nation - talk shit, play shit & eat shit! |
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15 Aug 05 - 06:55 AM (#1542051) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Crystal Haggis is OK, if a little peppery. Alternativly my pet haggis occasionally tries to eat people. |
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15 Aug 05 - 07:39 AM (#1542076) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Ringer I think every culture in the past had a poor-man's meal consisting of entrails. Certainly the French did (and, like haggis, it's still available for the discerning seeker). |
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15 Aug 05 - 08:44 AM (#1542107) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: mindblaster Only trouble is Dirtland has no culture! Unless you call a bunch of mean tight fisted drunks running about in skirts wanting to beat the shit out of people a culture. May they continue to eat shit, till the whole filthy race chokes to death on it!!! |
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15 Aug 05 - 09:17 AM (#1542145) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: GUEST I totally agree withyou mindblaster - we also want get rid of the scotch scum in the english parliament. |
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15 Aug 05 - 09:35 AM (#1542163) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: John MacKenzie As in Umble Pie Giok |
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15 Aug 05 - 09:52 AM (#1542173) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Kim C Yes. Haggis is necessary. |
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15 Aug 05 - 09:59 AM (#1542178) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Bill D I first encountered Scottish customs up close at a Scottish games festival in Virginia, USA...where they threw the caber and tasted Haggis. I heard one person remark that they had it all backwards. I, myself will reserve judgement until I am offered some done, as noted above, correctly......and I think I would prefer the baked type. |
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15 Aug 05 - 10:57 AM (#1542231) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: rumgumption In Canadian and northern US Scottish games (possibly elsewhere?) one often sees a 'haggis throw' or 'haggis toss' event. It's sometimes said to have started off as a method of delivering lunch across a small river--believe it if you like! Aside from pet beavers, I don't think anyone tastes the caber. I've avoided haggis since eating some flabby boiled stuff that I suspect came from a tin. After reading this thread, perhaps I'll reconsider if I come across it baked or roasted. |
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15 Aug 05 - 11:06 AM (#1542240) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: John MacKenzie Was looking for info on mirowaveable haggis when I came across this gem Giok |
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15 Aug 05 - 12:28 PM (#1542305) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Bill D gem, Giok? That is truly....ummmm....fascinating |
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15 Aug 05 - 04:50 PM (#1542476) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Pauline L I have experience with "edible" entrails in a meal from a different culture. On a visit to a local Chinese restaurant with a Chinese friend, she told me that she would order from the Chinese menu, but she didn't want to be tough on me, so I could order from the American menu. I could not stand the challenge, so I told her that I'd eat whatever she ate. She ordered two interesting dishes. One was made of intestines of I-forget-what species. I was brave enough to try it, and I found that it was really, really slimy. I couldn't eat it. The second dish had duck's blood as a majour ingredient. I thought of gravy from roast beef, which is based on blood, and blood sausage, so I figured this dish would be OK. As soon as I saw the food, I cried, "Oh, no! They forget to put in the heparin." It was clotted in big chunks, and it certainly looked like blood. I was brave enough to try it, and it was way, way too salty for me. After this, I retreated to the American menu. I'm still skeptical about haggis. |
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15 Aug 05 - 06:00 PM (#1542532) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Tannywheeler So, Missouri Mud, do I understand you to suggest that musicians, especially trad/oldtimey, are afraid of/averse to "...hard work"? Consarned lowvoicedduck if I ever heard one. You take that back. Apologize. (Learning more music being classified as "hard work" might mean you're in the wrong business, as well.) Tw |
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16 Aug 05 - 05:47 PM (#1543446) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Tattie Bogle We usually cut it into thick slices and SHALLOW fry it (no deep-frying or batter) You don't have to eat the "skin" which to some is the disgusting part: the middle is VERY tasty! However if you do the above, make sure your frying pan has a lid or a spatter guard, or you'll have popping pearl barley decorating your walls! And don't forget the whisky! Con jarleyborn!! TB |
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17 Aug 05 - 03:48 AM (#1543715) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Schantieman Haggis, of course, live on Scottish mountains and spend their whole lives running round the mountain the same way. Consequently the legs on one side are shorter than those on the other. This makes them easy to catch during the haggis hunting season (31st November - 1st December) as all you have to do is chase them the other way round. They fall over and roll down the hill to a net held open at the bottom on red deer antlers stuck in the ground. I do quite like them boiled (and try not to think about the contents, a bit like anything containing spinach) but will have to try baking one. Neeps, incidentally, are not what I (a nesh southerner) think of as turnips (the white tennis-ball sized roots with purple bits at the top) but swedes (aka Swedish turnips - the much bigger orange ones). I shall now duck while a Scot shoots me down in flames. ('scuse the mixed metaphor!) Steve |
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17 Aug 05 - 10:13 AM (#1543927) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: MissouriMud Well I tried it this week - Not good, not bad, and probably not worth the fuss. It did seem better with a bit of whiskey on it, but I think next time I'll just have the whiskey. The neeps (mashed)on the other hand were very good - particularly with a little salt and a bit more of that whiskey. The food did not seem to affect our play significantly, although I did find myself during Hangman's Reel inexplicably trying to imitate a bagpipe drone on my lower guitar strings. That may have been more related to the amount of various Scots beverages I was sampling. The folks in the pub appeared too busy eating their haggis to notice or care. |
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17 Aug 05 - 10:23 AM (#1543935) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: John MacKenzie Well like your whisky dressings I recommend you try other makes of haggis when you get the chance, as they too like the Uisge Beath come in many varieties some of which are good and some crap. Giok |
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17 Aug 05 - 11:42 AM (#1544005) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: MissouriMud I'm not sure we have a lot of other makes available here and I don't think I am motivated enough to send away for the stuff. With respect to the hard work issue raised by Tannywheeler - a couple of thoughts - I do work hard at the music, and I know many others work harder at it than I - but for my purposes I dont consider it hard work, probably since I dont rely on it for my livlihood. While I can work up a pretty good sweat and thirst on the faster tunes, and practices and research are time consuming, it remains an enjoyable passion and not true work for me. That being said, I'm not quite sure what a "Consarned lowvoicedduck" is. Is it anything like a lilly livered codswoggler? It sounds suspiciously like something on the Pub menu - but if I did know, I'm sure I would resent being called it and would refuse to apologise. However, on the off chance that the term is accurately applied to someone who isnt sure it is worth the effort to learn a bunch of new Scottish tunes, in addition to the new tunes he was already trying to learn that seem to fit his more Ozarkian style and repertoire better, simply because a guy in a skirt brought him sheep gut, I am willing to consider amends: I did note in the Fiddlers Companion that there are two tunes: The Haggis, and The Haggis of Dunbar (Haggies o' Dumbar) - I would consider learning them and trying to get my fiddle and banjo mates to do the same - but only if the "Consarned lowvoicedduck" thing proves out. |
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17 Aug 05 - 08:03 PM (#1544426) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Tannywheeler Consarned lowvoiced duck==base canard==insult. I meant (tongue-in-cheekily) to suggest that you were insulting musicians...sorry. (Aside: I've never heard of very many musicians, 'specially in the trad/oldtimey genre, afraid of different FOOD, either.) Tw |
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18 Aug 05 - 11:16 AM (#1544888) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: MissouriMud TW - no need to apologize - I caught your humor. And you are right about Old Time Musicians eating habits - with Squirrels Heads and Gravy, Shove the Pigs Foot a little Closer to the Fire, Bennie Ate a Woodchuck, etc., who are we to turn up our nose at Haggis! Er... are Squirrel Heads Necsessary? |
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18 Aug 05 - 06:14 PM (#1545190) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Uncle_DaveO Er... are Squirrel Heads Necsessary? The squirrels think so. Dave Oesterreich |
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18 Aug 05 - 10:14 PM (#1545392) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Pauline L Yuk! Indigestion! |
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19 Aug 05 - 09:37 PM (#1546137) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: GUEST,Seonaid Herewith, my favorite haggis recipe, published in the Clan MacColin newsletter many years ago: "Get everyone drunk and serve a meatloaf. No one will notice the difference." As to music, if you need to *sing* something, go for some good parodies. "Bannockburn", which the Corries sang to the tune of "Battle of New Orleans" (OK, "8th of January"...), should go over well, if I know the South; especially now that everyone has heard of Wm Wallace. Also, there's "Hamlet" to the tune of "The Mason's Apron" -- very dialectish, but a crackup for any Scots in the house. Good luck! |
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19 Aug 05 - 10:29 PM (#1546170) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Malcolm Douglas "Clan MacColin" appears to be some sort of American re-enactment club with some rather odd ideas about history, so it isn't so very surprising that they are confused about haggis. They probably also imagine that Wm Wallace painted himself with woad while playing the woollen bagpipes and the ancient pre-christian bodhran. Meatloaf? Brooklyn "Scots", perhaps? |
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22 Aug 05 - 07:24 PM (#1547394) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Tattie Bogle By the way (as they say so frequently in Glasgow) "whiskey" is Irish, WHISKY is the Scottish drink! TB |
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23 Aug 05 - 06:10 AM (#1547555) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: GUEST,Wherriebob Haggis is, of course, a very necessary part of the proceedings at the yearly celebrations all over the Globe, of the birthday of Scotland's national bard, Robert Burns. In keeping with many of the themes of Burns's poems its very existence on the table is a reminder of the commonness of mankind and the poverty that surrounds us; that basic food is a true manifest symbol. The address to the Haggis, recited well in the proceedings is humerous and poignant. I love Haggis. Steamed or shallow fried...with or without bashed Neeps and champit (roughly mashed) tatties. I, an the warl o'er, could dae weel withoot "mindblaster" the loon wha fares on Chips (aye the muckle yin abune his shouther)...but not Haggis. |
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25 Aug 05 - 10:51 PM (#1549952) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: GUEST,Seonaid Och, Malcolm, ye'r aye o'er dour... Yes, Clan MacColin is a "re-enactment club," but they're not in the least "confused" about haggis. They've been known to serve the real stuff (with the appropriate Burns address) at Hogmanay and other occasions. (Never mind that sheep guts aren't legal imports into the USA. They have their sources.) But I just offered *my* favorite haggis recipe... with a smile.... By the way, I have tried the vegetarian haggis option. My opinion? Well, eat it if you *must*... For the truly sturdy, there's an Asian relative. It's a little jar of unclassifyable grey goo, helpfully labeled "Fish Guts." (The ingredients are listed as "fish guts, salt"). More punch than a paunch, I'll wager. But I didn't have the -- er -- stomach for it, so no review is included. |
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26 Aug 05 - 12:28 AM (#1549980) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: catspaw49 Haggis is totally unneeded in a world where Dandelion greens sauteed in Olive Oil and Red Wine, and sprinkled with Romano is available. Spaw |
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26 Aug 05 - 01:05 AM (#1549989) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Peace What a fitting repast: Haggis and dandelion greens prepared as indicated by Spaw. |
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26 Aug 05 - 07:58 PM (#1550641) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Malcolm Douglas Sounds good to me. Mind you, those "fish guts" sound very like Gentleman's Relish (essentially anchovy paste) or perhaps a fermented fish product popular in Rome a couple of thousand years back, the name of which I forget. Probably best eaten on toast, in any case. I've also eaten a Corsican goat-milk cheese that is buried for a couple of years in an ash-heap in small earthenware pots in order to mature. That winds up as a salty, very strong-flavoured grey paste as well, come to that. You can still taste it days later. It all comes down, more or less, to anchovies in the end. Haggis is mild as blancmange by comparison. |
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26 Aug 05 - 08:04 PM (#1550644) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: bobad Garum is the name of that Roman fish sauce. |
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26 Aug 05 - 08:11 PM (#1550646) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Malcolm Douglas Thank you. |
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26 Aug 05 - 11:15 PM (#1550721) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Peace Does anyone want to add kimchee to the meal? |
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27 Aug 05 - 02:00 AM (#1550778) Subject: RE: Is Haggis Necessary? From: Cluin "Is Haggis Necessary?" Well, it's pretty uncalled-for... |