Scotch, Haggis, Poetry & Robert Burns

[OscarV]

Last night Amy AKA bonneamie hosted a Robert Burns Birthday celebration.

We had several nice scotch whiskies.

Lagavulin 16yo, Cragganmore Signatory, Laphroaig 15 & 18yo and two others whose names I can't come up with right now.

Hey Josh help a brother out.

The Laga and Laps were my favorite or should I say favourite.

[Josh]

Helping a brother out...:cool:

The others were Highland Park 12 y/o and I brought the Abelour A'bunadh, batch 29.

For the edification of others, the Cragganmore was the 16 y/o (I think) 1989 vintage.

It was a blast!

[bonneamie]

And the multitudes of Scotches helped to wash down the haggis.

[CaptainQ]

Sounds like a fun time. It's okay to visit the "other" side once in a while.

Haggis :bigeyes: :puke:

[Josh]

Sounds like a fun time. It's okay to visit the "other" side once in a while.

Haggis :bigeyes: :puke:

You ever had haggis Cappy? It's really not bad. Are there a 1,000 other foods I would choose over haggis? Probably, but for once a year, it's not bad.

[Gillman]

It's similar to scrapple, I find. IMO, the word derives from the French, "hachis", which means a minced dish. Hash in English is the same idea.

French culinary vocabulary once influenced the Scots. An ashet (plate - "une assiete" in French) is another example.

Gary

[Josh]

It's similar to scrapple, I find. IMO, the word derives from the French, "hachis", which means a minced dish. Hash in English is the same idea.

French culinary vocabulary once influenced the Scots. An ashet (plate - "une assiete" in French) is another example.

Gary

Indeed! The Scots and French were allied for many centuries against a common enemy. I think we can all figure out what country that was. Sorry Rutter.

From Burns' poem "Scotch Drink",

Let other Poets raise a fracas

'Bout vines, an' wines, an' druken Bacchus,

An' crabbed names an' stories wrach us,

An' grate our lug, I sing the huice

Scotch bear can mak us,

In glass or jug.

O thou, my Muse! guid, auld Scotch Drink!

Whether thro' wimplin worms thou jink,

Or, richly brown, ream owre the brink,

In glorious faem,

Inspire me, till I lisp an' wink,

To sing thy name!

[unclebunk]

I spent a lot of time in Scotland visiting relatives when I lived in England and most of my younger cousins had never even tried haggis before (and had no desire to). But all the older folks loved it and I found that well-made, fresh haggis is delicious. But then I love black pudding and all manner of odd English/Scottish/Irish delicacies, though I do draw the line firmly at jellied eels. Cockles, mussels and whelks, anyone?:grin:

[Gillman]

Scotch bear Josh means I believe in that quote, "bere", a wild form of barley which was used to make Scotch whisky until barley replaced it. I think it has 4 rows (unlike modern barley which has two or six).

But what does he mean by "ream owre the brink in glorious faem"? Is he distinguishing between white new spirit and aged "brown"?

Gary

[OscarV]

Josh, I see on your Sipology blog you reviewed of Laphroaig Quarter Cask.

Anytime you need help with your "work" just let me know.:grin:

[bonneamie]

"ream owre the brink, In glorious faem"

I think your interpretation of the poem is correct Gary. He likes it either way, new or aged!

[The Boozer]

Another party I missed. Damn!, I got to get out more. :banghead:

[Stu]

Bernadette made haggis, neeps, and tatties a few days before Burns' birthday. We had leftover haggis and planned to eat it on the 25th along with some Flaming Heart. We got busy and forgot to do it, so last night we took the haggis, whisky and a Cohiba out on the back deck in balmy 60 degree weather and said "Happy Belated Bithday Bobby".

[cigarnv]

Bernadette made haggis, neeps, and tatties a few days before Burns' birthday. We had leftover haggis and planned to eat it on the 25th along with some Flaming Heart. We got busy and forgot to do it, so last night we took the haggis, whisky and a Cohiba out on the back deck in balmy 60 degree weather and said "Happy Belated Bithday Bobby".

Haggis.... you are a brave man my friend!!!! But with enough whiskey and a good cigar I suspect even haggis would be just fine. Sounds like a great time on the deck...at 28F here I am quite envious

[squire]

Haggis appeals to my historical interests but not my culinary interests, and, yes, I've sampled it at a Burns dinner.

[Josh]

I had haggis once. In Scotland. With whisky ... but maybe not enough whisky. No cigar.

... I'd try it again with enough whisky and a good cigar. Otherwise, I'll give it a pass.

I think it goes very well with a robust Scotch Ale.

[nor02lei]

Bernadette made haggis, neeps, and tatties a few days before Burns' birthday. We had leftover haggis and planned to eat it on the 25th along with some Flaming Heart. We got busy and forgot to do it, so last night we took the haggis, whisky and a Cohiba out on the back deck in balmy 60 degree weather and said "Happy Belated Bithday Bobby".

I haven’t had the original haggis in Scotland Stu, but just some Swedish here a couple of times. I do love the stuff and it goes very well with smoky Islay malts.

Leif

[callmeox]

I've not had haggis, but I did enjoy a nice fusion of Scottish and Indian cuisines when in Glasgow when I sampled some haggis pakora as an appetizer.

[Stu]

Way back in the middle of the last century when I first entered the Air Force, I heeded the advise of a grizzled old major who said "It may not be what you're used to eating, but if the people are healthy, it must be good food, so try it.". I've found foods that I don't care for, but only once could I not finish the meal - In Thailand, I ordered a meal and told the waitress "the way you'd eat it". That was one meal that was too hot for me and I love hot food. I'm not fond of black pudding (or any other form of blood, cooked or raw) but I'll eat it, if served, and say thank you. While stationed in Taiwan I went on a sitka deer hunt, and was one of the successful hunters. The head man of the village offered me a bamboo cup of blood that was drained from the deer I killed. My neighbor/friend/hunt agent said it was the local custom that the killer drinks the first cup of blood from the kill. I took a big sip, ensuring that couple of drops ran down the corner of my mouth. I smiled and handed the cup back to the head man and told my translator to tell him that in my country we had a similar custom, only the killer must share his bounty with the rest of the members of the hunt or he will never have another successful hunt. The head man accepted this. By the time the cup got back to me, it was darn near empty. Thank goodness. I may not be the brightest star in the sky, but every now and then I can think quick.

Back to the subject of Haggis, I thought of another meal I couldn't finish (because of volume), We were in Tomintoul and entered a pub for lunch and ordered haggis, neeps and tatties and dark ale. I almost finished my haggis and downed about half of the neeps and tatties, Bernadette couldn't eat more than 1/3 of everything and then couldn't finish her ale.

[bonneamie]

Stu, that's a great philosophy from your grizzled old major. In my family we refer to it as the "no thank you taste". Before you can say "no thank you", you at least have to try it. That's what we tell the kids, anyway.