Burns Night

Happy Burns Night everybody!!

Today marks a special day of celebration in The Highlands, where kilts will be flying, whisky will be flowing and a tonne of haggis will be boiling. It’s an opportunity for fellow Scotsman to come together and celebrate traditions that have taken pride in their history for many years. For those of you not acquainted with Burns Night and who, like me are located 8 hours south of The Highlands – this is your chance to embark on something a little different.

This festival marks the life and works of one of Scotland’s national poets, Robert Burns. Though born in humble circumstances, his art for writing poetry and his desire to keep the Scottish language alive was, and to this day, highly regarded by all levels of society, making himself a symbol of his birthplace. Each year, on January 25^th, people with Scottish roots come together to mark this occasion with a traditional Scottish supper amongst family and friends.

I cannot boast strong Scottish roots, or to have ever tasted haggis, let alone an acquaintance with the traditional Scottish ‘reel’. However, I am a person who relishes any excuse to bring together family and friends over a warming supper and suppressing the winter blues that have lingered in the air since Christmas.

Having sent out the invitations, informed the guests that the menu will be ‘a surprise’, requested they come wearing a kilt (my hideous blue kilt is hanging up as I type – originating from my less favourable days a convent school, it only comes out for occasions like these and fancy dress), the rest, they can wait until arrival.

Drinks on arrival: Whiskey Mac

After a little encouragement and education from my Grandfather, who is to this day, a great lover of whisky, I am slowly coming round to the taste. However, a single malt is not everybody’s ‘cup of tea’. Therefore, mixed in with a few other elements, softens the blow and the strong taste. This particular concoction is a favourite of one of the guests tonight, so I know I’m already onto winner and being a warming drink, makes it the perfect one to serve on arrival to guests venturing in from the cold.

Ingredients (per glass)

25ml Scotch whisky

25ml ginger wine

Method:

Simply mix together in a whisky glass and serve hot or cold – easy peasy

Now, onto the food:

I am going to be very honest here, as I have stated already, this is my first ever Burns Night and I am a great believer in never recommending a recipe unless I have tried and tasted it first. Therefore, I am going to share with you the menu I am going by, along with the recipes I am using as guidelines and if it all goes according to plan, watch this space this time next year and I will reiterate with my own recipes and ideas.

Starter –‘Cullen Skink’ (smoked haddock and leek soup)

Originating from the North-East Scottish fishing village of Cullen, this is a traditional Burns Night starter that brings warmth and delicious flavours to the table.

Main Course – Haggis with Colcannon and whisky sauce

On a day like today, it’s an opportunity to broaden the taste-buds and unleash the haggis. Made up of oatmeal, a sheep’s or calf’s  heart, lungs and liver, mixed with seasonings and traditionally encased within the stomach of the animal (though nowadays, he stomach is substituted with synthetic skin), haggis marks the focal point of the meal highlights by Robert Burns himself, in his poem ‘Address of a Haggis’  written in 1786:

Fair fa’ your honest, sonsie face,

Great chieftain o’ the pudding-race!

Aboon them a’ye tak your place,

Painch, tripe, thairm:

Weel are ye wordy o’a grace

As lang’s my arm.

This unique and hearty dish is often served with colcannon (mashed potato with cabbage) and served with a whiskey sauce.

Haggis may not be your thing, the very thought of offal maybe enough to put you off, therefore always have a backup - a nice juicy steak or a beef stew are good alternatives. Though if you are new to the haggis, like me, you are not alone, but with the occasion marking a Scottish tradition, I and my fellow guests are going to give it a go and I suggest you do to – you never know, this delicacy may become your new guilty pleasure. On the other hand, if not, wash it down with a generous gulp of single malt and turn your attentions to the entertainment for the night – reeling.

Dessert – Cranachan

A traditional Scottish dessert whereby the ingredients used to be placed in individual bowls, and then the guests would come along and assemble their own based pudding based on personal taste.

For recipes on the above – check out the following guidelines of two of this country’s professional chefs:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/recipes/9812020/Burns-Night-recipes.html

After dinner entertainment:

At this point, guests will the recovering from the delicious Burns Night supper, though, be careful to not let them sit down for too long, it’s time to get the single malts flowing and the kilts flying - it’s time for the reeling. Having seen this done properly for the first time on the Christmas edition of Downton Abbey, I have since been trying to burn off the festive calories and teach myself this traditional Scottish country dance. I believe I have just about mastered it, though despite the fact I’m a writer, I’m not sure how to describe it to you without confusing you. Therefore, I am going to point you in the direction of a reliable source which has never let me down before now and wish you and your guests the best of luck and a very good night. I am told, the trick is, to ensure you and your guests indulge in a generous amount of single malt beforehand!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1CMN-PTYWw