The beguiling haggis

December 6, 2003 6:29 AM

The adorable haggis. Think nothing of the myth of sheep and oatmeal.
posted by the fire you left me (10 comments total)

Now haggis is yummy. Zero confusion.
posted by nthdegx at 6:37 AM on December 6, 2003

Uh-uh. If it ain't scrapple, it's tripe.
posted by Smart Dalek at 6:48 AM on December 6, 2003

I've heard that a significant number of Americans actually believe that the haggis is a real creature.

I'm not joking.
posted by Blue Stone at 8:21 AM on December 6, 2003

Is this some sort of Haggis Industry PR move? Given modern society's proverbial disassociation between live animals and the meat on your dinner plate, it almost seems logical to try and convince folks that haggis "the meal" comes from a small woodland creature instead of the belly of a cow. Perhaps the ham hock is in need of an image adjustment as well.
posted by shoepal at 9:16 AM on December 6, 2003

I vaguely remember trying haggis when I was little and kind of liking it although it seemed bland - the onions helped, though. Kind of like an exploded sausage or something.
posted by alumshubby at 9:43 AM on December 6, 2003

How did Haggis get a bad reputation? Looking at the ingredients it seems to use less desirable sheep parts (ruminants, stomach, ground meat-bits). My guess is it was a poor-mans turkey for the holidays. Perhaps the servants would cook up a sheep for landlord and take home the left-over bits and create a Haggis, telling the children (and themselves) it was a special animal to make it more appealing, thus creating the Haggis Myth and redicule and scorn from those with higher tastes. Kind of like eating spam on Thanksgiving. Just a guess.

We know now that Haggis is a very hearty food, like so many peasant foods are. Liver and tripe are loaded with vitamins and minerals that slow cooking with fat/tallow allows easy absorption of fat soluble minerals. It must leave one feeling very, uh, full of piss and vinegar.
posted by stbalbach at 10:23 AM on December 6, 2003

Mmmmm, haggis. I always have some when visiting Scotland. What's the name of that side dish, the turnips and potatoes? Something-and-neeps....?
posted by Oriole Adams at 11:01 AM on December 6, 2003

When I used to live for a few months back in the late 80's at Portobello, in Edinburgh, the 'family butcher' around the corner had been the winner of the Best Haggis In Scotland competition for a couple of years running. How could I not?

Jimmy, the barely-alive, piss-reeking alcoholic old fella (heart of gold, but he smelled a bit, it must be said) living in the same boarding house helped me prepare it. It was yummy. I don't think I've had it since, though.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 8:29 PM on December 6, 2003

I had some haggis the other week at the Good Food show. Kind of like a cross between stuffing and black pudding. Very tasty!
posted by BigCalm at 4:41 AM on December 7, 2003

Address to A Haggis by Robert Burns
posted by jonp72 at 6:23 PM on December 8, 2003