britishfood

Now I admit that I have only tried haggis once, and I remain unconvinced that any true Scot would recognize what was served to me as haggis. It was at a British Isles Festival here in the US several years ago and was a sausage concoction, so dry and flavorless that I choked it down simply because I’d bought it so I’d eat it. What I learned was that a Renaissance Faire is not the nest place to try anything new as far as food goes.

Haggis, the national dish of Scotland, is incredibly difficult to find in the US. I have even heard that it is impossible to find in its proper form because sheep lungs are not passed for human consumption. To be sure it has its place on the list of British foods which make non-natives groan in horror when mentioned.

Whether haggis originated in Scotland is hotly debated and many believe it was eaten in various forms by the Romans and the Vikings. Today though, it is most definitely associated with north of the border.

So what is it?

Haggis is a mixture of sheep’s heart, liver and lungs, oatmeal, suet, onion and spices that is boiled in a sheep’s stomach for several hours. Modern haggis is often housed in a commercial casing as opposed to a stomach. It is traditionally eaten with neeps and tatties (swede, turnips and potatoes) and a dram of whisky.

I reserve judgment on haggis until I have tasted the real McCoy in Scotland. No bland meat goo at a Renaissance Faire will substitute.

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