Hogmanay (Scotland's New Year's Eve)

[magnusfide]

Am looking for a reliable American source for Haggis to help celebrate Hogmanay with friends.

I found Scottish Gourmet USA as one source. Are they reliable? Do you know of any others?

[PA12DRVR]

Don't know for sure, but I've heard that because of the use of some degree of guts, true Scots Haggis isn't allowed in (or to be made) in the U.S. of A.

Having attended numerous Burns' Suppers where there is a sizable Scots population (in Ewe-stun) and having had Haggis a time or two in the U.K., there is a very noticeable difference between here vs. there. Can't / won't say better or worse, just different.

'Course, if one is following the apparent protocol (at least when having Haggis at a Burns' Supper) by the time one gets to actually eating the Haggis, all is well with the world. 🙂

[ventrman]

magnusfide wrote:
Am looking for a reliable American source for Haggis to help celebrate Hogmanay with friends.

I found Scottish Gourmet USA as one source. Are they reliable? Do you know of any others?

Thanks for sharing. I have always wanted to try Haggis.

[magnusfide]

NYCgrrl wrote:

magnusfide wrote:
Had a great time. There was even a bagpiper who piped in the haggis. The haggis was good too. After all the haggis jokes over the years, this was quite surprising. Perhaps it's the haggis made in Scotland with sheep lungs that earns those jokes.

"Neeps and tatties" (mashed rutabaga and mashed potatoes) were part of the feast along with a black bun. I'll let you all look those up.

We're looking forward to the Robert Burns night on January 25th. :C

Glad to know it was a worthy purchase and mashed rutabaga had a place at the table:).

Now about that black bun. Looked it up and goodness me it reads a lot like Jamaican Groom's Cake or Black Fruitcake! Just minus the whiskey or brandy which is replaced with copious amts of Appleton rum and no pastry outer wrapping.

Now I'm getting suspicious about the rutabaga my mother made, LOL.

LOL :B

[NYCgrrl]

magnusfide wrote:
Had a great time. There was even a bagpiper who piped in the haggis. The haggis was good too. After all the haggis jokes over the years, this was quite surprising. Perhaps it's the haggis made in Scotland with sheep lungs that earns those jokes.

"Neeps and tatties" (mashed rutabaga and mashed potatoes) were part of the feast along with a black bun. I'll let you all look those up.

We're looking forward to the Robert Burns night on January 25th. :C

Glad to know it was a worthy purchase and mashed rutabaga had a place at the table:).

Now about that black bun. Looked it up and goodness me it reads a lot like Jamaican Groom's Cake or Black Fruitcake! Just minus the whiskey or brandy which is replaced with copious amts of Appleton rum and no pastry outer wrapping.

Now I'm getting suspicious about the rutabaga my mother made, LOL.

[magnusfide]

Had a great time. There was even a bagpiper who piped in the haggis. The haggis was good too. After all the haggis jokes over the years, this was quite surprising. Perhaps it's the haggis made in Scotland with sheep lungs that earns those jokes.

"Neeps and tatties" (mashed rutabaga and mashed potatoes) were part of the feast along with a black bun. I'll let you all look those up.

We're looking forward to the Robert Burns night on January 25th. :C

[magnusfide]

The haggis arrived yesterday as they promised. It'll go in the oven to steam at 7 and 90 minutes later we're escorting it to the Hogmanay at our friends' home. It's a "braw" chieftain of the puddings to be sure http://www.scottishgourmetusa.com/product/haggis-for-sale-catering-five-pounds/haggis-usa

[magnusfide]

Ah the vagaries of the internet. 😛

When we were young, we never equated the grocery meat with living creatures. Of course, we never had to butcher them either :w

Re Haggis: I figure it can't be nearly as bad as the gelatinous muck known as lutefisk which is possibly one of the worst tasting, prepped foodstuffs on the planet. I still gag at the memory of it. :E 😛

[NYCgrrl]

magnusfide wrote:

NYCgrrl wrote:

magnusfide wrote:
Am looking for a reliable American source for Haggis to help celebrate Hogmanay with friends.

I found Scottish Gourmet USA as one source. Are they reliable? Do you know of any others?

That source reads well and that's the best I can add to the conversation besides noting that the smaller haggis is made from chicken instead of lamb. I guess I'd ask the company if they use traditional steel cut oats in their product.

Thank you. I went ahead and ordered the 5 lb yesterday. I'm not sure where you found the word "Chicken". According to Scottish Gourmet ingredients tab for all of its Haggis sizes, it says:
Ingredients: Lamb meat, beef liver, oatmeal, onions, and spices.

They said it will definitely arrive by Friday. We'll see:C

The site even offers a vegetarian Haggis but I'm told that's a blasphemy against the heart and soul of Scotland.

I appreciate the fact that the site offers Cooking Instructions and Serving Instructions.

Should be interesting. We like lamb.

Haggis: it's not for Hogmanay anymore.:B

The link first opened to the Balmoral Chicken Haggis for me so I figured that's what you were considering to purchase :).

I'd eat Mary's little lamb in a NY minute and her mutton of a mother too. Makes my DGD wonder about my ability to eat anything sooo cute but in retaliation, I keep showing her pics of fluffy baby chicks just before I serve her grilled Cornish hens, her fav meal. Gonna make her an unabashed adventurous carnivore or die trying :D.

[magnusfide]

NYCgrrl wrote:

magnusfide wrote:
Am looking for a reliable American source for Haggis to help celebrate Hogmanay with friends.

I found Scottish Gourmet USA as one source. Are they reliable? Do you know of any others?

That source reads well and that's the best I can add to the conversation besides noting that the smaller haggis is made from chicken instead of lamb. I guess I'd ask the company if they use traditional steel cut oats in their product.

Thank you. I went ahead and ordered the 5 lb yesterday. I'm not sure where you found the word "Chicken". According to Scottish Gourmet ingredients tab for all of its Haggis sizes, it says:
Ingredients: Lamb meat, beef liver, oatmeal, onions, and spices.

They said it will definitely arrive by Friday. We'll see:C

The site even offers a vegetarian Haggis but I'm told that's a blasphemy against the heart and soul of Scotland.

I appreciate the fact that the site offers Cooking Instructions and Serving Instructions.

Should be interesting. We like lamb.
Haggis: it's not for Hogmanay anymore.:B

[NYCgrrl]

magnusfide wrote:
Am looking for a reliable American source for Haggis to help celebrate Hogmanay with friends.

I found Scottish Gourmet USA as one source. Are they reliable? Do you know of any others?

That source reads well and that's the best I can add to the conversation besides noting that the smaller haggis is made from chicken instead of lamb. I guess I'd ask the company if they use traditional steel cut oats in their product.