Burns Night

[Graye]

Firstly bear in mind are living in a tiny French hamlet with about 30 houses, most of them family homes which are more or less abandoned and only occupied a few weeks a year. Other than some very elderly souls who are well tucked away by 7pm there is us, a Scottish couple, a Dutch lady and a French couple from Chartres who have retired here.

Tonight we have been invited to a Burns supper by the Scottish couple and the others will be there. I'm fascinated as to how it will go - firstly we have to try to explain the contents of the haggis to the non-Brits (brought especially by their son at Christmas), then probably Scottish history in a nutshell and possibly, as OH is taking his precious bottle of Laphroig with him, what Brits see in this drink. Personally I hate it (tastes like a particularly nasty medicine to me) but it might be interesting to see what the others think. I'm hoping that they have just about recovered from my homemade wine anyway... On top of all this, both the Scots lady and I are veggies so I'm interested to see what we will be having. I have a veggie haggis recipe somewhere and I'm wondering whether to offer to make one - just so we can be authentic!

[JulieSherris]

Sounds like a good night in store for you though, Graye!

Have a good one - although, don't imbibe too much... the hangovers just aren't worth it

[Shirley]

It sounds like it will be a great night! I'd give the veggie haggis recipe a go - I tried veggie haggis for the first time recently and loved it! Very tasty. Mind you, I also rather like a nip of Laphroig too :-)

[Annpan]

I'm making veggie Haggis for tomorrow - I ALWAYS have Haggis, neeps 'n tatties on Burns night, We always say the Selkirk grace too and I would get some ceilidh dancing going too, but OH doesn't like it much.

Have a nice night

[pumpy]

Hi Annpan, what's the Selkirk grace? (we're both english,but always have haggis,neeps etc., oh, & a dram or several!).

[Shirley]

http://www.rampantscotland.com/poetry/blpoems_grace.htm

[red]

we always celebrate burns night - I have a haggis lurking in the fridge for tomorrow.

Why not make the veggie version.. join in. French should not have any qualms over the ingredients.. its only offal.. they eat lots of offal plus sausages etc made with them.

[Annpan]

The link Shirley gave isn't quite the Selkirk grace as I was taught it

Some hae meat but Cannae eat,
And some that wid that want it,
But we hae meat and we can eat,
So to the Lord be thankit.


Occasionally one or other will enter in to the 'ode to a haggis' but we never remember very much...

Fair faw yer honest, sonsie face,
Great Chieftan o' the Puddin-race!
Aboot them a' ye tak your place,
.....

then something about tripe...... there's about 8 verses.... I have never heard anyone do more that the first and second.


You could always re-inact some ceilidh dancing by swinging each other round - the trick seems to be to try to injure as many other people in the room by using your partner as a weapon against them.... but it has to look like dancing.... I have been to a few rugby club ceilidhs in my time....ouch

[Graye]

Well what a lovely night! Veggie haggis was on offer, neeps and tatties, cock a leekie soup (leekie soup for the veggies), the Selkirk grace, glasses of Laphroig and Stones ginger wine. The French were completely bemused but the Dutch lady has seen it all before when she lived in London.

Short on the Celtic music but otherwise it was a great time and we even had a long and rambling poem which became completely lost in the translation but which was hilarious anyway. Whether we have improved international understanding is another matter but we did try...

[red]

glad it went well

full of haggis, tatties and neeps, and blackberry cranachan

[Mylovelyhorse]

Hi Graye

I'm delighted that your evening went so well - it gives me hope that when we move out to France (see - 'when'. Not 'if'!) we'll be able to do similar things and confound the neighbours.

Please could I have your recipe for veggie haggis? I regularly buy the McSweens veggie haggis, as I think it's lovely. But of course when we come to France, I won't just be able to nip out and buy one, so I'd better start practising now!

Thanks in advance
MLH (not a fan of Laphroaig. The only whisky I can tolerate is Talisker, which I think is wonderful. All the others that I've tried aren't anywhere near as nice...)

[Annpan]

Well, OH and I had a bit of a row today.... see my recent post on polytunnels

So he has just gone out and picked up an Indian carry out...... we'll do the Haggis tommorow.

Glad you enjoyed it Graye

[Wombat]

We had Scots friends when I was younger but must admit to never having attedned a Burns night, or tasted haggis or that drink that tastes like nasty medicine!

I think it is wonderful that everyone got together and had fun though! Well done

Nev

[pumpy]

We had an excellent meal, followed by a very pleasent evening. However,due to the lack of a ceilidh band,we did the next best thing,& watched "The Blues Brothers"!

[Jinwin]

You could always re-inact some ceilidh dancing by swinging each other round - the trick seems to be to try to injure as many other people in the room by using your partner as a weapon against them.... but it has to look like dancing.... I have been to a few rugby club ceilidhs in my time....ouch

I too have suffered at rugby ceilidhs... Oh, the bruises after orcadian strip the willow...