Friday, July 13, 2007

I once, visited Scotland...


What is a Haggis ?
A haggis is a small animal native to Scotland. Well when I say animal, actually it's a bird with vestigial wings - like the ostrich. Because the habitat of the haggis in exclusively mountainous, and because it is always found on the sides of Scottish mountains, it has evolved a rather strange gait. The poor thing has only three legs, and each leg is a different length - the result of this is that when hunting haggis, you must get them on to a flat plain - then they are very easy to catch - they can only run round in circles.
One day I met another specy, quite different, a rather plumpie one, who had eaten too much sausage...(and haggis!!!)
After catching your haggis, and dispatching it in time honoured fashion, it is cooked in boiling water for a period of time, then served with tatties and neeps (and before you ask, that's potatoes and turnips).
It's generally served on Burns'night, January the 25th...and it's quite a treat...
Want some recipes ?
And don't forget, before you start dining, to address the Haggis:

Address to the Haggis
******
Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,
Great Chieftan o' the Puddin-race!
Aboon them a' ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy of a grace
As lang's my arm.
Now, enjoy your meal, and let's pray for the poor little beastie...

4 comments:

Rowan said...

I love the description of a haggis:) I'm happy to say that I've never actually eaten haggis - I'm all too well aware of what it contains!!

B.T.Bear (esq.) said...

Hahaha!

In Wikipaedia they have a description of a haggis, and someone keeps logging in to delete the word "fictional". The administrators told them off in the end.

My Daddy's sister lives in Scotland, in Fife, and mummy has 2 cousins up there, in Edinburgh.

I haven't eaten haggis. I've seen them though.

:@o

Audrey said...

LOL Mousie Ive caught many a haggis up there in those heather clad hills, My grandson used to love me tell him stories of haggis hunting

RUTH said...

You must be very careful when eating the legs; they are very bony...LOL