Happy Burns Night!

[JeffJetton]

I've got a (vegetarian) haggis in the oven. Sipping on a wee dram. Got some Dougie McClean playing. About to make some tatties 'n' neeps.

Not a bad way to spend an evening. Anyone else honoring Rabbie Burns this week?

 

[96Bass]

Robert Burns wrote all of that beautiful poetry in the language we speak, yet we barely recognize it as English.

 

[Rosie C]

I've got a (vegetarian) haggis in the oven. Sipping on a wee dram. Got some Dougie McClean playing. About to make some tatties 'n' neeps.

Not a bad way to spend an evening. Anyone else honoring Rabbie Burns this week?

We marked it last Saturday, a bit early but friends were already in town for our Wassail. Cock-a-leeky soup, Haggis and cranachan and I piped in the haggis on my treble recorder!

 

[boxplayer4000]

We don't wait for Burns night to have haggis. It's a favourite with visiting family and others (at least they say it is).
I attended a 'reminiscence' group in the village yesterday where the subject was Robert Burns. Very interesting and funny.
Burns's sentiments and views are as relevant today as they were 250 years ago.
'Whaur's yer Shakespeare noo? ' as the man said.

 

[Pipemajor]

Normally this would have been a busy (and lucrative) week for me, but I had surgery for a myloma(?) on my forehead a couple of weeks ago and the next day , the sutures gave way, so back to the doctors.
It was impressed on me that there had to be no strain for the next 4 to 5 weeks, so piping is out.
Still, I had my haggis (Macsweens), neeps and tatties with a generous helping of whisky "gravy" poured over the haggis, at home as a consolation.
As with Boxplayer, I have haggis usually about once a month.

 

[JEBrown]

I'm starting my Burns season tonight - 7 gigs in 14 days where I will be singing and playing some Burns' songs, and playing more Scottish music either as background accompaniment or for dancing. So plenty of haggis to be had, but whisky only after performing!

 

[boxplayer4000]

I'm sure I'm not alone in wishing 'pipemajor' a speedy return to his bagpipes. I'm also pleased to hear somebody else likes gravy along with their haggis. I kept my preference under wraps as I feared some purists would disapprove.
JEBrown: It's very encouraging to hear how popular Burns is in that neck of the woods. Good Luck.

 

[JEBrown]

I'm sure I'm not alone in wishing 'pipemajor' a speedy return to his bagpipes. I'm also pleased to hear somebody else likes gravy along with their haggis. I kept my preference under wraps as I feared some purists would disapprove.
JEBrown: It's very encouraging to hear how popular Burns is in that neck of the woods. Good Luck.

Thank you! I agree it's very surprising - there are some Burns Nights formed around groups of Scots who happen to live in Belgium, I'm playing one gig for the British Ambassador (I guess it's an interesting occasion to invite other dignitaries to), there is one sponsored by the Freemasons (Burns was a mason), and several where it's just an excuse to have a meal and a drink. There are 'clan societies' in Belgium where people pay to be a part of a particular clan, and then dress up and pretend to be Scottish. I find it rather odd (I would not expect a Belgian society in Scotland where all the locals dress like a gilles de Binche and eat mussels & chips) but I do well from it so can't complain. There are also several pipe and drum societies, some at a very high standard. Our fiddler will be doing the Address to the Haggis several times over the season

 

[Tom]

Have a great Burns night everyone!!!!! I know I could look it up, but for the benefit of some of us uninitiated, just what is haggis and its significance here?

 

[Rosie C]

I'm also pleased to hear somebody else likes gravy along with their haggis. I kept my preference under wraps as I feared some purists would disapprove.

Oh, tis an essential part! I have a recipe that's evolved over the years - a basic white sauce mixed 50/50 with beef gravy. Plenty of ground pepper, then a dram of whisky stirred in just before it goes on the table.

 

[boxplayer4000]

Oh, tis an essential part! I have a recipe that's evolved over the years - a basic white sauce mixed 50/50 with beef gravy. Plenty of ground pepper, then a dram of whisky stirred in just before it goes on the table.

That sounds good. However, after 4 score years + I've decided to 'come out'; I don't like whisky!! (Not wholly true; I like it but it doesn't like me. I've had to retreat and be satisfied with Navy rum.

 

[Rosie C]

That sounds good. However, after 4 score years + I've decided to 'come out'; I don't like whisky!! (Not wholly true; I like it but it doesn't like me. I've had to retreat and be satisfied with Navy rum.

I have tried a few rums, an ex-Navy friend has a good selection, including his favourite "Pussers". But it's whisky for me, we even honeymooned on Islay, spending the week visiting every single distillery!

 

[Pipemajor]

Oh, tis an essential part! I have a recipe that's evolved over the years - a basic white sauce mixed 50/50 with beef gravy. Plenty of ground pepper, then a dram of whisky stirred in just before it goes on the table.

My recipe is much simpler.
I pour neat good malt over the haggis.
Perfect

 

[Pipemajor]

I'm sure I'm not alone in wishing 'pipemajor' a speedy return to his bagpipes.

Thanks for the kind wishes Boxplayer.
It's all healing up nicely.
In actual fact I did play at a funeral on the 24th for a prominent (Scots) dignitary that had been booked before my notification of my surgery'
Luckily they only wanted 2 tunes, Amazing Grace leading the cortege into the church, and Sky Boat Song as the coffin was being lowered.
In between the service and the commital, I was plied with tea and choccie biscuits in a nice warm room.
I was able to conceal my wound dressings under my Glengarry and the wound held up fine.
To round it off, the widow insisted on giving me an envelope, which I later found contained £250, so quite an enoyable day (for me!!) all round.
Anyway , to console myself for not being able to play properly for a while, I bought myself another accordion (as you do)
Sorry for the late reply. I missed the message until now