You need a brave heart to stomach haggis (1)
A stench like halitosis from the worst demon in hell threatens to bludgeon everyone out of the room. A cauldron of steaming livers, hearts and lungs disappears into the maw of an industrial mincer and slops out of the other end into a bucket of oatmeal. A crate of beef fat and onion is added to create a glistening mound of carnivore porridge. It is 10am in Braveheart Butchers and flame-haired John Potter has already been up for five hours boiling the ingredients for his Burns Night batch of prize-winning haggis. His rolled-up sleeves reveal a tattoo, “Scotland the Brave”, as he plunges his hands into the vat and stirs.
Despite the name of his shop and the words stencilled on his arm, Potter and his haggis are a long way from Scotland. The shop sits on a drizzly high street in the Wirral. Oh, and the tattoo was picked up during a Butlin’s holiday in Bognor Regis.
Since he moved to the town of Wallasey, near Liverpool, four years ago, Potter has built up an expanding English following for the puddings, which he makes to a secret recipe. “When I first came down here I thought I’d never have to make haggis again, but now I’m making more than ever,” he says, firing up a large square boiler. “I think more haggis is sold south of the border now than in Scotland: I make an 80lb batch every week.”
He moved south “for the love of a good woman”. His English wife, Michelle, does not, however, extend her affection to sharing his fondness for sheep’s pluck. Observing preparations from the relative safety of the shop front she winces at the smells escaping through the fly curtain. “I can’t stand it,” she says, wrinkling her nose. “It’s the skins that are the worst.”
[More]
Notes:
It’s that time of year again. I’ve never eaten haggis and I’m far from certain I want to but many people appear to like it.
Popularity: 2% [?]
Male, retired and the rest is of little interest to anyone. The site keeps me busy and if it helps others to stay abreast of daily events then my time is well spent.
dora Says:
I’m not sure, but I think the |Irish version is Blood Pudding. My father and his brother both brought the blood pudding and a bottle of whisky after attending their sister’s funeral. My American uncle got through customs with his booty, but Dad’s was confiscated, both the pudding (he loved it) and the bottle of whisky. Customs agents must have had a field day back then.
The meal must necessarily be nutritious if it combines Scottish oatmeal (apparently not GM) with sheep entrails. And it’s spiced up. I might try to find some somewhere tomorrow and give it a try. Happy eating and Happy Robbie Burns Day to the Scots’ tradition.
Just found out through my older sister’s research that we’re also Italian descented through our Scottish ancestors. Going back only 100 years or less. We were all kind of surprised by this. Had to do with Garibaldi’s exiles to Scotland.
OT Jack, but have a look at Ontario News Watch. Something for all of us to keep our eyes on. Look at article by Denley I think re McGuinty’s deal with Samsung. These wind farm towers aren’t going to work and more billions are going to get sinkholed, my opinion. Hudak better get right to public consultation now as these are literally eyesores, not to mention the noise polluting humming. SAVE ONTARIO folks from the program to come!
Talk about lazy days and Sundays. Is it, “I think, therefore I am.” Or the other way around?? LOL.
Posted on January 24th, 2010 at 4:23 pm
dora Says:
I can’t remember where I put up the remark about Bubba Brown’s coalition jingle on the COALITION, not the prorogation — to the tune of the Piano Man. But it puts a nice ‘song and dance’ to route out the oppo’s idea of a rejected coalition. Great song, Bubba. We all need to sing it. I misspoke and said it was re prorogation. Have to correct that.
Now there’s a report that a supposed protest group were actually lined up at the local bus stop. The media are into ‘overtime’ now plugging this non issue and didn’t Mr. Rae dodge the bullet re his time-out!
Posted on January 24th, 2010 at 4:34 pm
Glen from Saskatoon Says:
I tried it for the first time last night… once you wrap your head around what goes into it, it’s really not bad. My wife even went back for seconds…
Posted on January 24th, 2010 at 5:37 pm
Jack Says:
Re: #3 — You are married to a brave lady, Glen. One night I was in the Swedish Senior NCO mess in Cyprus and they were serving “rolled up fish” as an entre. I was hungry and it looked appetizing so I picked one up and took a bite. One taste and I walked over to the RSM and asked him if it was raw. He said “Yes” and I looked at him with wonder in my eyes as I walked away and threw it in the garbage.
Obviously, people who eat “sushi” (as it is now known to me) don’t stop to think about the little “creepy crawlers” that infest such food. Not to say Haggis has this problem but I avoid food I don’t know about. And I know — I’m a picky eater.
Did I mention that the main course was beans and pancakes with “hot liquid refreshment” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absolut_Vodka) that literally blew my brains out?
I never went back and no wonder that Russia is a basket case today.
Posted on January 24th, 2010 at 5:53 pm