Today is the 250th anniversary of the birth of our our national poet, Robert Burns. Suspect even those Scots who don’t usually celebrate the night might be having a wee dram this evening.
We went haggis hunting yesterday afternoon and came back with this lovely specimen. Shall be popping it the oven soon (my preferred method of cooking), bashing some tatties, champing some neeps and settling down for a braw feast.
Hope you’re enjoying your Sundays too. 🙂
A Wee Bit of Cooking 
indeed enjoying our sunday but not the haggis. tis very expensive to buy here in london. will make up for it with a dram and venison sausages 2morro. have a good un!
Happy Burns Night Wendy!!
Indeed! a happy Burns night to you Wendy!
all the best!
Happy Burns night — we’re doing one here near Seattle as well, even with snow in the air.
Happy Burns night Wendy. I am a big haggis fan myself. I must get around to eating some soon. Looks like a fine specimen you have there!
Several bloggers have been posting about tonight, but as you are the only one of my links posting from north of Hadrian’s wall I thought I’d save my best regards for Burns Night for you. If there’s any whisky left over…
I love vegetarian haggis, yum, I prefer to make it in the oven too. Hope you’ll have a lovely feast!
I nearly bought veggie haggis in Tesco tonight, but I already had something planned so I pased it by. Maybe I should have picked some up. I did go walking in some beautiful Scottish countryside (Den Of Alyth) today and I listened to a programme of Burns songs tonight on BBC, so I feel I am redeemed. I do enjoy a burns song and it is amazing how many you know the words to 🙂
Thank you for bringing up Burns Night. My Finnish friend who lived in Scotland for a few years was insistent that no one there celebrates this day. Clearly she never met the right folks, eh? Happy Burns Night!
hope you had a fine burns supper – burns night passed us by – it happens at a time when there are too many other things to remember but one of these days I will celebrate it!
Hope Sunday supper went well! I’m so interested to try haggis someday… didn’t know it looked like that.
Ok. You’re going to have to decode part of this for me. I’m sort of familiar with Haggis, and tatties are potatoes, but what are neeps and what is a “braw feast”?
Kelsie – We’ve got venison sausages in the fridge for this week too. Venison and mint, I think. Odd combination but they really are lovely.
Lysy – Thank you! And to you!
Alison – Thank you to you too! Hope you had a good night!
Erynn – Wish we had snow in the air… Hope you had fun. 🙂
Helen – It was one of the best I’ve tasted, I have to say. Shall be going back to that butcher for sure.
Trig – Thank you! But I’m afraid you’re out of luck, Trig! They polished the lot off, the drunken blellums. 😉
Pia – It’s so much easier that way, I think. 🙂
Holler – Sounds like a more than respectable way to celebrate Burns Day. Hope we’ll see some pictures of that walk.
Cookworm – Think more people celebrated that usual this year because it’s the 250th anniversary of Burns’ birth but I’m always aware of some kind of Burns celebration each year. There are lots of hotels who do Burns suppers with speakers but most folk I know just make sure they eat haggis, neeps and tatties for dinner that night.
Johanna – I always appreciate this cheer in January. It’s such a drab month otherwise.
Robin – It really is lovely. I’ve made it for several non-Scots before and they’ve always been surprised at how highly spiced it is and how you could never tell it’s made from heart, lungs etc.
Siri – A neep is a turnip but what we call turnips the English call swede and I think you call rutabaga! To “champ” is to mash. “Braw” means good so a “braw feast” is a good meal. Hope that’s clearer!
We had a lovely time! There was food and music and recitation of Burns poetry and talk and whisky… well, it was a grand celebration. 😀
Hope you had a lovely burns night feast!
I’m slightly afraid of haggis so instead put mashed neeps and tatties on a cottage pie instead 😀
Katie xox
Cheers to Burns Night! Sounds fantastic. If only I were in Scotland… haggis is one of top five foods to try some day. Adore your blog. Launched my own earlier this week and would love for you to pop over!
Best,
*Heather*
http://squirrelbread.wordpress.com
I didn’t try haggis when I was in Scotland several years ago – I’m a more adventurous eater now, but it’s still rather daunting to me! But I should try it next time I’m over there…
Aha! So you caught one! Better not let on where, otherwise you might endanger the species… 😉
Happy Burns Night!
Hi there – from all the way over in sunny Australia,
Just thought i would say i went to my first Burns night on Sunday and had a ball
first experience of Haggis and found it quite tasty 🙂
Happy burns night all – i will be back again next year 🙂
Love Haggis, neeps and tatties! Hope Burns night was fun.
The photos are up here Wendy. We had a nice crunchy snow walk and a good excuse for hats 🙂
Erynn – Very glad to hear it. 🙂
Katie – Sounds good too but do not fear the pudding! It’s delicious. 🙂
Heather – Actually, I’ve visited before and just didn’t have time to comment. Will do so now.
Lethological Gourmet – Oh, do. It really is lovely.
Aforkfullofspaghetti – The chase was worth it. 😉
Jana – Glad you had fun! And haggis IS tasty, isn’t it?
Mallika – It really was, thank you. 🙂
Holler – Great. Off to visit now.
I know there’s the small matter of Xmas between now and then, but I have just started a new cookery school in York ( http://www.thecookingrooms.com ) and would love to run a class for Burn’s night. The question is, should we even be considering being creative with haggis or is it considered sacrilege to stray too far from the neeps and tatties combo? What do you think?
Luke – Naw, go for it! Haggis is grrrrreeeeat stuffed in things, especially chicken and baked potatoes imho. And if you’re going down the classic haggis, neeps and tatties route what about a beetroot chutney to go with it. Yum. Jeez, you’ve got me all excited about Burns Night already!