Jan 25 is the birthdate of Scottish poet Robbie Burns, a charming womanizing devil if ever there was one. However, we Scots choose to celebrate as it's mid-winter and a good time for shots of single malt Scotch and haggis. Haggis is of course a glorified sausage "great chieftain o' the puddin' race." It's made from sheep innards, half a sheep's head, oatmeal and spices, all packed into a "sheep's pluck" (intestine.) It's actually rather good.
I invited seven other trusty souls to celebrate the bard's birth for a lunch on Sunday Jan 27. To prevent starvation if the haggis wasn't up to snuff, I also cooked a venison stew (thanks to hunter Justin) and Lila made clapshot - a mix of bashed neeps (turnips) and champit tatties (mashed spuds) with lots of nutmeg and butter. This is the traditional accompaniment to haggis.
In true Scottish spirit, I addressed the haggis and splayed it open with a dirk (actually a Uigyr knife from Kazahkstan) - see photo.
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