Happy Gung Haggis Fat Choy!

January 22, 2012 10:45 AM

What does the dancing Chinese lion eat at Gung Haggis Fat Choy? Not lettuce.. but haggis of course [SLYT with bagpipes, be warned] (The lion breaks out into a bit of highland fling for extra fun).

Happy Gung Haggis Fat Choy, everyone, where Robbie Burns Day and Chinese New Year meet (that's this week). Gung Haggis Fat Choy is the invention of some students in Vancouver, including "Toddish McWong", and has now spread across the continent, with increasing in popularity each of its fifteen years.

In 2004 the CBC broadcast a documentary in celebration of the holiday (clip here, SLV)

posted by chapps (13 comments total)

Minor trivia: Invented at Simon Fraser University, which has a huge Robbie Burns celebration every year.

This year, SFU's Centre for Scottish Studies is trying to break the world record for the longest recitation of Robert Burns's poetry and songs. Haggis will be served.
posted by wenat at 11:26 AM on January 22

And thus there is hope for humanity
posted by Jibuzaemon at 11:43 AM on January 22 [1 favorite]

I suppose this makes them scotcheese?
posted by infini at 11:45 AM on January 22

Other minor trivia: SFU's named after Scottish explorer Simon Fraser, so there's lots of Scottish stuff embedded in the university's traditions.

The athletics teams are called the Clan. Apparently, the name isn't taken well when they play teams from the US South.

On the other hand, the university's pipe band is among the best in the world.
posted by wenat at 11:51 AM on January 22

Somebody's a Lair of the White Worm fan.
posted by benzenedream at 12:40 PM on January 22

This is so awesome, all the Scottish ladies in my choir have been giggling about this all week.

Then, of course, comes the discussion of just how you go about making haggis spring rolls, or haggis wontons, and whether whisky is an appropriate tipple with a Chinese meal.
posted by LN at 12:58 PM on January 22 [2 favorites]

Oh wow, that made me laugh so hard. This is pretty great.

I'd imagine haggis would be best served with dim sum as dumplings OR in a stew.
posted by saturnine at 1:07 PM on January 22

Hi non-Scots of the World,

  Just a wee note to remind you that there's no such thing as “Robbie Burns Day”. There's Burns Night, and the short period of daylight and non-inebriation that happens to share the same date.

Enjoy the haggis. You wouldn't if you actually knew what we put in it.

Cheers,
  A Scottish Bloke.

posted by scruss at 1:26 PM on January 22 [3 favorites]

oops! Thanks for the correction, scruss, 8 years of highland dance, I should know it is Burns Night!!

What can I say? Metafilter, please Hope ma boab?
posted by chapps at 3:30 PM on January 22

This made my weekend.
posted by bryghtrose at 6:25 PM on January 22

An excuse for whisky with family Chinese New Years dinner? I approve. I approve most heartily. Yes plz.
posted by zennish at 8:20 PM on January 22 [3 favorites]

The jig killed me.
posted by storybored at 8:45 PM on January 22

My partner is going to the international student version of burns night at her scottish uni. They are combo'ing it with Chinese new year. I am hoping it will be about the same as this video. Maybe they should be made aware.
posted by jonbro at 12:21 AM on January 23 [1 favorite]