Haggis

[Puzzicato]

Hi, somehow all of the guts etc taste good in sausage. I haven't had Haggis, but I have had chitin's and I've had the daily special at a Mexican Restaurant which turned out to be chitin's in a green chili sauce. The flavor was good, but the texture wasn't. I got through 2/3's of it before I gave up. I really gotta learn a little more Spanish.

I'm also not much on the etc that the Vietnamese put in Pho.

Later

Oh yes the "special beef" pho where you wonder what the heck you were just eating.

I'm not an indiscriminate offal lover. I think kidneys smell like wee and tripe smells worse. So believe me when I say that haggis is nice. Spicy and oniony and oatmealy with an underlying meaty richness like liver. The spicing I think is very interesting - I can detect clear nutmeg, both white and black pepper and allspice (pimento/Jamaica berry) notes in it.

Granted...its been a good while since I had proper haggis, but I recall it being texture wise like a firm pate (insert your own accent over the e)......

so its not an unpleasant texture at all.....

I find it a bit crumblier than pate (insert your own accent over the e)...... maybe like the stuffing from a roast?

 

[Chasseur]

A pint of BITTERS? Too much surely for even the most ardent of admirers of bitters.

No worries my dear Baron, I mean the type of beer the English refer to as bitters (a pale ale I believe) rather than bitters the herbal alcohol. That would be a bit much in pint size!!!

Though I'm no expert in haggis my understanding is that one does not generally eat the casing today (whether stomach or plastic bag which is pretty common today). No time I've ever eaten haggis in Scotland (about a dozen times or so) have I ever been served the casing. The casing is just a cooking container. I think thats what most Americans misunderstand when they think of haggis, they think people are eating the stomach and the consistancy of the dish must be like stuffed tripes. Just my thoughts.

Though I am a big fan of organ meant so perhaps I'm biased...

 

[Puzzicato]

I think the good Baron's pedantry is showing - the beer is bitter, not bitterS.

You are right, you eat the filling scooped out of the (very rubbery) casing. And, if you are very lucky, scooped onto a big flat mushroom and grilled.

 

[Miss Neecerie]

I think the good Baron's pedantry is showing - the beer is bitter, not bitterS.

All is made clear between these two words when said in the appropriately un-posh accent.

 

[Edward]

Had haggis for breakfast (!) one morning in Glen Nevis at a B&B...it was absolutely fantastic. I wouldn't've thought it a morning meal, but you know what? It works! Love it.

Quite normal. The Scottish equivalent of the 'Full English' cooked breakfast is a very similar dish, distinguished with the inclusion of a portion of Haggis. In the North of Ireland, the equivalent is the Ulster Fry (aka Heart Attack on a Plate) - no haggis, but several peculiarly Irish bread products. Soda Bread and Potato bread are also often to be found in Scotland, mostly, in my experience, down the Western seaboard. Baked beans now regularly appear in both Ulster Fy and Scottish equivalents, though I believe that's a recent influence from the English take on things. Certainly when I was growing up in Ireland you'd never have seen beans on the plate, just egg (most commonly fried), sausage, bacon, black pudding, fried bread (or toast), soda bread, potato bread, fried mushrooms and occasionally also fried onions. I do love a good friend breakfast, though as I don't wish to de velop the physique of a beach ball it's a rare luxury rather than a norm for me.

 

[Chasseur]

Oh I see, yes somehow I keep wanting to make the beer plural... I guess since I normally have more than one pint... Time for me to go look for some mooses as well...

 

[lolly_loisides]

I came across this ad completely by chance, but I'm ever so glad I can enjoy haggis any time now. The "chutneep" sounds especially good

 

[Miss Neecerie]

Quite normal. The Scottish equivalent of the 'Full English' cooked breakfast is a very similar dish, distinguished with the inclusion of a portion of Haggis. In the North of Ireland, the equivalent is the Ulster Fry (aka Heart Attack on a Plate) - no haggis, but several peculiarly Irish bread products. Soda Bread and Potato bread are also often to be found in Scotland, mostly, in my experience, down the Western seaboard. Baked beans now regularly appear in both Ulster Fy and Scottish equivalents, though in my experience that's a recent influence from the English take on things. Certainly when I was growing up in Ireland you'd never have seen beans on the plate, just egg (most commonly fried), sausage, bacon, black pudding, fried bread (or toast), soda bread, potato bread, fried mushrooms and occasionally also fried onions. I do love a good friend breakfast, though as I don't wish to de velop the physique of a beach ball it's a rare luxury rather than a norm for me.

bah to you....I say...bah for making me want brekkie at 3 pm......its going to haunt me til the weekend now...

*goes off to research where serves a proper fry up in NYC*

 

[LocktownDog]

I came across this ad completely by chance, but I'm ever so glad I can enjoy haggis any time now. The "chutneep" sounds especially good

I'm strangely torn between utter disgust and culinary interest. I'd try one.

 

[Big_e]

I need to find a place in North Texas that serves this haggis! For someone who likes liver, kidney stew, goat brain tacos and pork snout tacos, I think this may be a new favorite! If I can find a good place that makes it.
Ernest

 

[Yeps]

I need to find a place in North Texas that serves this haggis! For someone who likes liver, kidney stew, goat brain tacos and pork snout tacos, I think this may be a new favorite! If I can find a good place that makes it.
Ernest

The only place I have ever found it (then again, nowhere near you) is at a concession stand for a highland games. They happen every once in a while, and generally come with sheepdog shows too.

 

[Mav]

The veritable food of the gods. No more, no less. Traditionally served with neeps and tatties, though there are a couple of other variants I'd suggest...

- deep fried in batter, with chips (a 'Haggis supper') - especially in Edinburgh, where you can have it with 'salt and a soak' ('soak' is a mix of brown sauce and vinegar, consistency of a good gravy).

- surprisingly good as a filling in a toastie

.

You forgot fried into a patty in a glazed doughnut bun. With mayo.

 

[Zaxxon]

Funny thing, that haggis. Once had one in Edinburgh in a pub on grass market. I think it was called the Last Drop.

Found it delicious but when I try to recommend it to other fellows traveling to Scotland I am always offended as someone eating "stuff, the wolf left over from a stolen sheep, stuffed in its stomach and then thrown away".

Honestly, I suggest to try it before picking on it, it's really good stuff.


Zaxxon

 

[Chasseur]

Big E, many places in the US have British stores for the expat community where you can get haggis sometimes.

I used to go to this one when I lived in DC and I really wanted steak and kidney pie, haggis, Christmas puddings, etc.
http://www.thebritishpantry.us/

In fact here's one in North Texas, in Grapevine:

http://www.british-emporium.com/
Don't know if thats close to you or not, North Texas is pretty big. Lots of memories of driving and driving when I used to visit familly down there.

 

[Edward]

You forgot fried into a patty in a glazed doughnut bun. With mayo.

Never seen it with Mayo (euw), thoufgh yes, now you mention it, I've had haggis encased in pastry, which was listed on the menu as 'haggis in sporran'. Not unlike a Cornish pasty, but with haggis as the filling.

 

[bunnyb.gal]

Hi, I have a theory that the reason Scottish, English, and German booze is so great, is that their food is so bad. lol Haggis seems to help support that theory. If memory serves, it's sheep guts, and after checking Wikipedia:

"Haggis is a dish containing sheep's 'pluck' (heart, liver and lungs), minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and traditionally simmered in the animal's stomach for approximately three hours. Most modern commercial haggis is prepared in a casing rather than an actual stomach."

That has to be something that the Scots thought up to dare English tourists to eat. HAS TO BE. Of course, after a couple (4 to 6 for me) of good single malts and a few ales to wash it down with, it might actually STAY DOWN.

So you know I'm not trashing anyone I don't know, my ancestral names include Brokamp, Mueller, Williams, Dunbar, Seeman, and Lindemann.

Later Y'all (I don't like chitin's either)

I'll have to mirror this sentiment - I can't even pick up the vegetarian haggis in the health food store...

I've been a vegetarian for decades, but can usually manage to "abstract" when I see others eating meat as I am fascinated by food in general; offal, however, I just could never get my head (or my nose) 'round, even when I was a "happy carnivore".

 

[Big_e]

Big E, many places in the US have British stores for the expat community where you can get haggis sometimes.

I used to go to this one when I lived in DC and I really wanted steak and kidney pie, haggis, Christmas puddings, etc.
http://www.thebritishpantry.us/

In fact here's one in North Texas, in Grapevine:

http://www.british-emporium.com/
Don't know if thats close to you or not, North Texas is pretty big. Lots of memories of driving and driving when I used to visit familly down there.

Thanks for the tip about the British Emporium, Chasseur. That's just across town from me. Yeah, I like traveling around Texas, mostly to visit different farmers/ open air markets and to meet with friends for long bike rides. I will sure drive a bit for good food!
Ernest

 

[Chasseur]

Big E you are very much welcome, I'm glad its close by to you.

We offal eaters have to stick together!

 

[MisterCairo]

Never seen it with Mayo (euw), thoufgh yes, now you mention it, I've had haggis encased in pastry, which was listed on the menu as 'haggis in sporran'. Not unlike a Cornish pasty, but with haggis as the filling.

That sounds yummy!

 

[Highlander]

What great responses. I'll certainly have it again. But hope it isn't over done..