Haggis achievement unlocked!

[klwilliams]

My mother-in-law gave us a wall calendar last year, with photographs of Cornwall for each month. It also had English holidays printed on the days, including Burns Night, which was last night. It was also the day Dave wanted to celebrate his birthday, so we did. In our clubhouse, in style.

Chaz decided that since it was Burns Night, he would make a haggis, and tatties and neeps, so he did. We even had soup for lunch, though not cock-a-leekie. Dave and Katherine invited a host of their (and our) friends to the party, including some who hadn't been here before, so they got to experience the clubhouse.

Dave plays the trumpet in a big band, and Laina plays just about any musical instrument, plus there were a couple of enthusiastic volunteers, so Dave took this band outside and they quickly taught themselves to play a fanfare. Yes, we had a trumpet fanfare to show the haggis in.

Chaz delivered the haggis in style, then declaimed, in a strong Scots accent, the "Address to the Haggis", and no, I don't know what he said. I'm a lady. I would not ask for a translation.

This was followed by The Immortal Memory, and Cathyn did Brother Burns, and himself, proud. The rest of the evening included recitations of Robert Burns poems, plus other appropriate singing. And drinking.

Ah, but the haggis. This was made with real lungs and livers and hearts(?), and oatmeal for the texture, and it was gobbled up along with the mash. It was unexpectedly tasty, and I normally don't like organ meats, but Chaz is an excellent cook.

And there was drinking. And I have a headache. And I may have fallen asleep during part of the later evening's festivities, but I tend to do that these days. Still, it was a lovely party (I used "lovely" as an adjective frequently these days. I blame my association with Chaz.), and great fun. And I have a headache.

Comments

[vittoriosa.livejournal.com]

that sounds fabulous. i don't suppose chef chaz would be willing to share his haggis recipe? :-)

[klwilliams.livejournal.com]

I will see if he'll post it.

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Instanter! Ish. As soon as I write it up. With pix! (I'll try to remember to come back here and post a link, but no promises.)

[desperance.livejournal.com]

I remembered! Step this way, for a blow-by-blow. With pix.

[vittoriosa.livejournal.com]

fantastic!

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

What? No fried Mars bars?

[desperance.livejournal.com]

American Mars bars are not the same. Indeed, nothing with the Cadbury name on is the same over here; they use a different recipe for the chocolate. The first-named ingredient is not "milk" (as in the UK), but "sugar". (I am familiar with this because the scandal over new-recipe Creme Eggs has rolled all the way over the Atlantic, although it doesn't affect us at all, because over here the eggs were already made to the wrong recipe).

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

...nothing with the Cadbury name on...

Bars are from Mars, eggs are from Cadbury. Just saying.

Ah, you heard about that, did you?

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Mmm, but Mars used at least to advertise itself as being coated with Cadbury's chocolate. I don't know what the state of interplay is these days, but US bars are fundamentally Other anyway.

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

Mars used at least to advertise itself as being coated with Cadbury's chocolate

It did? I don't remember that, but then all I remember about Mars advertising is that a bar a day helps me work, rest and play.

[rustmon.livejournal.com]

Awesome!! Yay!!