haggis

 

Haggis is a traditional Scottish dish.

There are many recipes, most of which have in common the following ingredients: sheep's 'pluck' (heart, liver and lungs), minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and traditionally boiled in the animal's stomach for approximately an hour.

Haggis somewhat resembles stuffed intestines (pig intestines otherwise known as chitterlings or the kokoretsi of traditional Greek cuisine), sausages and savoury puddings of which it is among the largest types. As the 2001 English edition of the Larousse Gastronomique puts it, "Although its description is not immediately appealing, haggis has an excellent nutty texture and delicious savoury flavour." (p592)

Most modern commercial haggis outside Scotland is prepared in a casing rather than an actual stomach. There are also meat-free recipes for vegetarians: these are designed to taste like the meat-based recipes.

It is often asserted (e.g., on the packaging of MacSween's haggis) that the dish is traditionally served with "neeps and tatties" (Scots: turnip and potatoes; these are boiled and mashed separately) and a "dram" (ie. a glass of Scotch whisky). However, it might perhaps be more accurate to describe this as the traditional main course of a Burns supper, since on other occasions haggis may be eaten with other accompaniments. Whisky sauce (made from thickened stock and Scotch whisky) has recently been developed as an elegant addition.

History and popularity

The haggis is frequently assumed to be Scottish in origin though there is little evidence for this. It has been speculated that the dish originates from the days of the old Scottish cattle drovers. When the men left the highlands to drive their cattle to market in Edinburgh the women would prepare rations for them to eat during the long journey down through the glens. They used the ingredients that were most readily available in their homes and conveniently packaged them in a sheep's stomach allowing for easy transportation during the journey. Other speculations have been based on Scottish slaughtering practices. When a Chieftain or Laird required an animal to be slaughtered for meat (whether sheep or cattle) the workmen were allowed to keep the offal as their share. Although those legends are widely accepted, there is one more that holds more truth to actual Scottish history. Haggis was "born of necessity, as a way to utilize the least expensive cuts of meat and the innards as well" (Andrew Zimmern). In fact, in times of famine people would eat whatever it was that they could get their hands on, which is how all those fascinating ingredients became a part of local tradition and a rite of passage for all Scots.

Another theory, put forward by food historian Clarissa Dickson Wright, is that haggis was invented as a way of cooking quick-spoiling offal near the site of a hunt, without the need to carry along an additional cooking vessel. The liver and kidneys could be grilled directly over a fire, but this treatment was unsuitable for the stomach, intestines, or lungs. Chopping up the lungs and stuffing the stomach with them and whatever fillers might have been on hand, then boiling the assembly — likely in a vessel made from the animal's hide — was one way to make sure these parts did not go to waste. (Dickson-Wright 12).

It should be noted that Dickson-Wright repudiates the assumption of a Scottish origin for haggis, claiming that it 'came to Scotland in a longboat [ie. from Scandinavia] even before Scotland was a single nation.' (quoted in Barham 2005:54) Whatever its historical origins, however, the haggis is now firmly established as a symbol of Scottishness, probably due in large part to its having been apostrophised in the most glowing terms by Scotland's national poet (see below).

One theory claims that the name "haggis" is derived from Norman French. Norman French was more guttural than normal French so that the "ch" of "hachis", i.e. chopped, was prononced as a "g" giving "haggis".

Modern usage

Haggis is traditionally served with the Burns supper on the week of January 25, when Scotland's national poet, Robert Burns, is commemorated. He wrote the poem Ode Tae a Haggis, which starts "Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face, Great chieftain o' the puddin-race!" During Burns's lifetime haggis was a popular dish for the poor, as it was very cheap, being made from leftover, otherwise thrown away, parts of a sheep (the most common livestock in Scotland), yet nourishing.

Haggis is widely available in supermarkets in Scotland (and in some parts of England) all the year round, with cheaper brands normally packed in artificial casings, rather than stomachs, just as cheaper brands of sausages are no longer stuffed into animal intestines. Sometimes haggis is sold in tins, which can simply be microwaved or oven-baked. Some supermarket haggis is largely made from pig, rather than sheep, offal.

Haggis is one of several foods (e.g. pizza) that Scottish fish and chip shops serve deep fried in batter. Together with chips, this comprises a "haggis supper". A "haggis burger" is a patty of fried haggis served on a bun, and a "haggis bhaji" is another deep fried variant, available in some Indian restaurants in Glasgow. In August 2006, haggis was even used as a pizza topping in the restaurant of the Oak Tree Inn on the banks of Loch Lomond. Higher class restaurants sometimes serve chicken breast stuffed with haggis; haggis can also be used as a substitute for minced beef in various recipes.

Since the 1960s various Scottish shops and manufacturers have created vegetarian haggis for those who do not eat meat. These substitute various pulses and vegetables for the meat in the dish. Since both the offal-based and the vegetarian haggis have wide variations in flavour depending on the recipe used, it would be difficult to demonstrate that the two varieties do or do not taste alike.

Drinks with haggis

As noted above, Scotch whisky is often asserted to be the traditional accompaniment for haggis, though this may simply be because both are traditionally served at a Burns supper. Warren Edwardes of Wine for Spice notes that haggis is spicy and therefore recommends refreshing semi-sparkling wines to drink with haggis with increasing level of sweetness depending in the spiciness of the haggis: whisky, with its high alcohol level, can exaggerate spice rather than complement it. [1]. Since fish and chip shops sell large amounts of haggis but do not typically serve alcohol, it can be assumed that haggis is frequently eaten in Scotland with the accompaniment of neither wine nor whisky, but with Irn-Bru, a long-established brand of soft drink popular in Scotland.

Use outside Scotland

Because food safety laws in some countries outlaw some of the ingredients in haggis (for example, United States law forbids the sale of any animal's lungs for human consumption), expatriate Scots and Scots descendants overseas have been known to engage in 'haggis smuggling' to obtain true Scottish haggis. At least one American company produces haggis for the U.S. market. The Caledonian Kitchen, a Dallas, Texas,-based gourmet business, began producing both a Highland beef and vegetarian haggis commercially in 1999. In 2006, the company added a USDA lamb version of the product as well. Its haggis is in wide distribution throughout the U.S.

In 2007, the Scottish Haggis championship was won by a 22 year old Northern Irishman who had only been making the dish for three years. [2]

Entertainment

Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines. The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.

Haggis is an amusing subject for many people. Along with some other foods associated with a specific country or region (such as Australia's Vegemite, or Scandinavia's salmiakki), it's perceived to be loved in its home country and loathed by the rest of the world.

Those who ask a Scotsman about it rarely get a straight answer. A common reply to the question "What is a haggis?" often goes along the following lines. "A haggis is a small four-legged Scottish Highland creature, which has the limbs on one side shorter than the other side. This means that it is well adapted to run around the hills at a steady altitude, without either ascending or descending. However a haggis can easily be caught by running around the hill in the opposite direction." (see Wild Haggis) Surprisingly, this humorous myth is believed by many tourists, and thus they are shocked — and possibly disappointed — to hear the truth. See also sidehill gouger.

Many tourists are also duped (or nearly duped) by Scottish pranksters attempting to lead them on a 'Wild Haggis Hunt'. The Scotsman newspaper's web site runs an annual Haggis Hunt [3].

Haggis is also used in a sport called haggis hurling, throwing a haggis as far as possible. The present World Record for Haggis Hurling has been held by Alan Pettigrew for over 22 years. He threw a 1.5 lb Haggis an astonishing 180 feet, 10 inches on the island of Inchmurrin, Loch Lomond, in August 1984.

Haggis juggling is an unusual competition that takes place at the Scottish Juggling Convention each year, with competitors competing for how long they can juggle three, four, or five large haggis.

'Haggis' is an uncommon surname, such as for the screen writer Paul Haggis, known for his work on Million Dollar Baby, Due South, Thirtysomething, and other film and television series. In names it may come from Old English, meaning 'a woodsman's hut', and a Lord Haggis rode on the third crusade with Richard the Lionheart.

Following his victory in The Masters golf tournament in 1988, Scottish golfer Sandy Lyle chose to serve Haggis at the annual Champions Dinner before the 1989 Masters.^[1] It is widely considered amongst Masters champions to be one of the most unpopular selections ever served at the event.

Haggis is also the stage name of comedian Tom Downs.

Haggis has also been made fun of many times in film and television. In So I Married an Axe Murderer, Mike Myers's character says he believes that "most Scottish cuisine is based on a dare."

In Armageddon, during the NASA space readiness exam, one of the minor characters names haggis as his favorite type of food. He then proceeds to list all of the ingredients and how they are arranged. In closing, he turns to the NASA examiner and says, "That'll put some hair on your ass."

In Highlander, Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert) calls Ramírez (Sean Connery) a "stupid haggis" and then proceeds to explain its ingredients and preparation. Ramirez is disgusted by this description.

In an episode of The Simpsons, Groundskeeper Willie is seen selling haggis at a completely empty booth. He calls out, "Get your haggis, right here! Chopped heart and lungs boiled in a wee sheep's stomach! Tastes as good as it sounds. Good for what ails ya!"

In an episode of Samurai Jack, in which he helps his friend The Scotsman rescue his wife, Samurai Jack asked in the clan's lunch hall what is haggis. To this the entire clan shouted "Sheep's stomach stuffed with meat and garlic!"

The Ren & Stimpy Show featured a Scottish character named Haggis McHaggis, voiced by Alan Young.

The main character in the 2004 version of The Bard's Tale must fight a beast called a "Haggis Monster". The monster is made of discarded parts of animal carcasses that were buried in a ditch and then brought back to life by magic.

In an episode of Earthworm Jim, when Jim's suit malfunctions from a loss of power, Jim and Peter Puppy hide in a restaurant that serves haggis. Peter is eating haggis and likes it. However, when he asks why no one ever comes to the restaurant, Jim tells him "Because haggis is made from the heart, lungs and liver of a sheep boiled in its own stomach," and he is immediately disgusted and traumatized. As a result, Peter's greatest fear is a Scottish chef and he now cannot eat haggis without getting sick, though he has been tricked into eating it on numerous occasions. In another episode, an evil clone of Peter is created, who is opposite of him and he loves haggis!

One character in The Curse of Monkey Island is named Haggis McMutton. He states that it's just a nickname, and that his real name is Heart, Liver And Kidneys Boiled In The Stomach Of The Animal McMutton. When asked if his parents had been expecting a girl, he replies, "Aye."

For a time, the Celtic punk band Dropkick Murphys employed a bagpipe player, dressed on-stage in full Scottish regalia and going by the name of Spicy McHaggis.

Californian punk band NOFX has a song called Theme From a NOFX Album. In this song there's a line that goes "I'm Limo from Scotland/So give me haggis". (Limo is an old friend of the band)

There were 4,691 irradiated haggis in the cargo hold of the mining ship Red Dwarf.

Similar dishes

In some ways, the northeastern United States dish scrapple resembles haggis, however scrapple differs in the following ways: it uses pig offal instead of sheep offal and cornmeal instead of oatmeal; it is a meatloaf rather than a sausage; and it is baked instead of being boiled. As a result, the appearance and the flavour vary significantly. So the resemblance lies more in the fact that it is a combination of offal, grain and vegetables than in any specific ingredient or cooking style.

Other similar dishes include:

• Knipp (Speise) from Bremen and Lower Saxony, north Germany. Made with any animal leftovers, spiced with salt, pepper and thickened with cereal. Served in either a sausage or in slices usually with fried potatoes and bacon. Tastes exactly the same as Scottish haggis.
• Buchada from northeast of Brazil, in which goat's intestines are filled with pieces of liver, heart, blood, etc... cooked then served with white rice.
• Tripas from Portugal made from animal's entrails and is served with beans and rice.
• Hogs Pudding or Groats Pudding from Devon & Cornwall containing oats and spiced pork offal
• Drob from Romania, made from sheep's organs, mixed with spices and herbs and wrapped in the sheep's stomach (or rarely, in a thin dough), prepared especially for Easter
• Balkenbrij from the Netherlands
• Pölsa from Sweden, made from beef
• Saumagen from Western Germany, made with pork
• Slátur, an Icelandic cooked sheep's stomachs filled with blood, fat, and liver
• Švargl in Croatia and Serbia, made from pork
• Boudin, an Acadian/Cajun sausage made with pork offal and rice
• Bopis from the Philippines, made from pork minus the casing
• Montalayo from Mexico, which is prepared from sheep or goat offal in a manner very similar to haggis
• Chireta from Aragonese valleys of Sobrarbe and Ribagorza, and Girella from Catalan valley of Pallars, both made by boiling inside sheep intestines a mixture of rice and sheep offal, mainly lungs and heart
• Camaïot, a Balearic Islands sausage related to sobrassada made from pork offal, coarsely minced, and boiled into pork skin from the leg
• Bahur, Bulgarian sausage made from rice and pork liver and heart
• Kishka, a traditional Ashkenazi Jewish kosher dish consisting of a mixture of meal,meat and spices stuffed in a beef intestine or a sewn pocket made of poultry neck skin
• Kaszanka from Poland, closely resembling haggis despite its very different ingredients of buckwheat and pig's blood
• Lungemos (Lungmush) Norway. Similar to haggis. Pork, Beef meat, Lung and Heart. Best eaten with Lefse.
• Tlacenka, from the Czech Republic. Similar to haggis, but from pork.
• Jaternica, from Slovakia. Very similar to Bulgarian Bahur, made with rice and mixed pork bowels.
• Ghammeh (aka kroush), from Lebanon, sheep stomach stuffed with rice, garlic, onions, pine nuts, minced lamb meat and spices, usually served with a soup that has similar ingredients to the fillings.

References

• Dickson Wright, Clarissa (1998). The Haggis: A Little History. Pelican Publishing Company. ISBN 1-56554-364-5. 

• Barham, Andrea (2005). The Pedant's Revolt: Why Most Things You Think Are Right Are Wrong. Michael O'Mara Books Ltd. ISBN 1-84317-132-5. 

See also

• Saumagen
• Haggis McLeod
• Enter the Haggis
• Haggis is the name of the witch that conjures the demon "Pumpkinhead" in the 1988 horror movie Pumpkinhead

External links

• Caledonian Kitchen - America's Award-Winning Haggis
• Haggis Recipe
• Alton Brown's Haggis Recipe
• Belief in the Wild Haggis
• Hunting for haggis
• Haggis Hurl
• The haggis song by Peter Sellers (Captain Beaky Vol 1)
• Wine with Haggis
• Purchase a real wild haggis here
• Haggis on Bizarre Foods With Andrew Zimmern

Donate to Wikimedia