It's almost time for haggis, January 25th is the day, mark your calendars! But whatever you do, don’t eat the stuff, it is disgusting! Or so I was emphatically warned around the time I moved to Scotland. And yet, along with many other foods, it became an acquired taste I grew to love during the 12+ years of living in Ireland, Scotland, and England. Black tea with milk, baked beans, Branston Pickle, Marmite, haggis, and Guinness are just a few of the flavors that are not necessarily normal staples of an upbringing in Germany, but I got used to them. Marmite was the other one that prompted a lot of strong opinions and warnings not to touch the stuff. ‘Love it or hate it’, is probably a fairly apt advertising slogan for Marmite. As I am writing this, I am enjoying a cup of Irish breakfast tea with milk and just a touch of sugar. For lunch, I thought I’d give the old baked beans on toast a go, and it was as delicious as I remember!
I learned to appreciate black tea with milk while in boarding school in Dublin. On cold, wet, and dark evenings around this time of the year and after finishing our homework (prep), we’d have a cup of tea and maybe some cereal before bed which was always a welcome and comforting warm-up in the winter. As I am sipping the tea now, the cold of winter seems familiar, but the rain and the darkness are missing here in the more southerly latitudes of Vermont.
At the end of a decade spent drinking tea, I once went for a job interview at the Alfred-Wegener-Institute in Bremerhaven, Germany, and was offered coffee. Having never been much of a coffee drinker I declined and responded that I would take some tea instead. ‘Oh, we don’t have any tea, sorry,’ was the reply in German. There was an awkward moment of silence as I realized that I had become somewhat unfamiliar with the customs in my own country. In the end, I was not offered the job.
Baked Beans over a slice of toast, were also a typical food staple in boarding school. I loved the stuff! Soft white beans that required very little chewing, bathing in a thick sweet sauce that likes to think it’s seen a tomato in a past life. Full of calories and satisfying sweetness, perfect for growing teenagers with a huge appetite. The sauce soaked into the slice of white bread, which my brother, Julian, grew to love. He affectionately termed it ‘Läpschbrot’. ‘Läpsch’ is a German term for something that is a bit floppy without much form or substance. This Irish white bread was quite unlike German breads, which are solid and hardy.
Branston Pickle. I can’t for the life of me remember how I came to appreciate Branston Pickle. Best when smothered over cheese on a slice of toasted bread, it's a dark brown, gooey mess with junks of vegetables, sugar, vinegar, and spices.
And then there was Marmite, ah, yes, Marmite! Another gooey, dark brown, paste-like substance, but without any chunks. It's a yeast extract full of healthy B-Vitamins that has a very tangy and pungent flavor. It may not taste great, but it’s really good for you, honest! I don't think had ever tried it until I spent three weeks on a research ship in the cold, dark, and rough North Atlantic in November 2001. Bouncing up and down the waves between Scotland and Iceland, like a rogue ping-pong ball, a toast with butter and Marmite on the midnight watch was much appreciated along with a hot cup of tea - if only because that was all that was left to eat at that time of the night. You better loved it, you had no choice. And I learned to love it!
Guinness, well, there’s not much that can be said about Guinness, everyone knows Guinness. I sure drank a lot of it as a student roaming the pubs of Galway. To this day it is the only brewed alcoholic beverage that I actually enjoy drinking.
And finally back to haggis, probably my favorite of the acquired tastes! I moved to Edinburgh in Scotland in the spring of 1999, where I was destined to be for about six months, completing a Masters thesis in the Math Department of the University of Edinburgh. Prior to moving, as I mentioned, I was warned, that I should not try haggis, because it is gross. I heeded the warnings, I never tried it, but I also have to say, that while living in Scotland, I never actually encountered an opportunity to try it. I did, after a late-night out, try a burger in a local chippy once and it was one the grossest things I have ever eaten, even given my drunken state. I shied away from the deep-fried pizza slices and the deep-fried mars bars that were also on the menu, maybe they would have been better?
So I left Scotland in the autumn of 1999 and moved to Southampton in the UK, never having tried haggis. At some point, I must have looked up what haggis actually is … and yes, I must agree, it sounds like something that would churn the hardiest of stomachs unless you are of a certain breed. The lungs, liver, heart, tongue, maybe a kidney for good measure, of a sheep, chopped and mixed with ground lamb meat, onions, oats, and spices stuffed into a sheep's stomach, tied up at the ends and boiled. Sounds scrumptious, doesn’t it?! Would you try it?
While living in Southampton, a Scott, by the name of Dave, became part of the circle of friends I socialized with. Dave would host two yearly celebrations at his house: The Eurovision song contest and Burn’s night. I attend a number of these and I particularly enjoyed the Burn’s night, which is coming up on January 25th (hence mark your calendars). Dave would put on his quilt, and recite the ‘Address to the Haggis’ by the famous Scottish poet, Robert Burns, and present the haggis. Then we’d all get to eat it. I was apprehensive at first, having been told that I should stay way clear of this ‘delicacy’. But, to my surprise, I loved it!
I have to add though, that I suspect most of the haggis you find in a mainstream supermarket is a lot ‘tamer’ than what I suppose is the original Scottish haggis. I remember scouting out haggis at a Marks and Spencers supermarket in Dublin for Burn’s night in 2008 or 2009 having moved back to Ireland briefly. Reading through the ingredients, I noticed there was no mention of lungs or heart, not even lamb was on the list of ingredients. It was made of pork and beef with a bit of liver thrown in. So I strongly suspect that I still have not actually tried the original version of haggis.
Tea with milk, baked beans, Marmite, and Branston Pickle are more or less a thing of the past now. Guinness never goes out of fashion and is always easy to find. But I am also happy to say that there is a Scottish pub, ‘MacLaomainn’s’, just a 20-minute drive away, and years ago I would drag John out every once in a while so I could get my haggis fix. After a long hiatus, I requested a birthday lunch of haggis, neeps, and tatties, at the Scottish pub last year. Still love the stuff!
So, I am thinking this year for Burn's night, I might take on the challenge of making some version of haggis from scratch. I did it once before a few years ago and seem to remember it turned out ok. I will, however, make no attempt to enact any kind of ritualistic presentation, I think I'd make a right old fool out of myself. I suspect I’ll also be the only one eating it, which is perfect, I can freeze the rest for my birthday a few weeks later.
Guten Appetit!
Follow up notes (January 25th): I did make Haggis a week ago using ground lamb and lamb liver. I had forgotten how fatty lamb meat can be, so a note to self for next time: drain the fat off after cooking the meat. The haggis came out ok, but I would say there's room for improvement or maybe just going back to MacLaomainn’s! Happy Burn's night!
Images:
1. Haggis, neeps, and tatties - January 18th, 2021
2. Lunch - January 12th, 2021
3. At the Scottish Pub in Chester, VT, with an empty plate of haggis, neeps, and tatties - December 29th, 2008