Gie her a haggis!
Be ahead of the game with Valentines Day approaching: forget champagne and diamond rings – a haggis is what will make your loved one weak at the knees. If a haggis alone won’t do it, then a couple of nights’ stay at the magical Roulotte Retreat near Melrose might help…
And dish them out their bill o fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware
That jaups in luggies:
But, if ye wish her grateful prayer,
Gie her a Haggis!”
So ends the famous Address to a Haggis by Rabbie Burns*, the poet celebrated at Burns Night suppers the world over, on or around his birthday, 25th January. A mixture of song, revelry and feasting, Burns Night has its origins in a party thrown by friends of The Bard after his death in 1796. Since then it has grown in popularity so that now it could be called the unofficial national day of Scotland. Even if you’re not fortunate enough to be Scottish, you’ll recognise the familiar tones of Auld Lang Syne, sung all over on New Year’s Eve as well as on Burns Night itself.
The feasting consists of haggis*, neeps* and tatties,* washed down with a dram of Scotch whisky. It’s traditional for a piper to pipe the haggis in – nothing’s too good for this dish. (We’re reliably informed that you can get a deep-fried haggis in Edinburgh, as well as a deep-fried Mars bar.) And if you’re not too full - try a ceilidh*!
*Burns Night Crib Sheet
Neeps – Turnips, boiled and mashed
Tatties – Potatoes, boiled and mashed
Haggis – Lamb heart, liver and lungs, chopped and mixed with onions, herbs and spices, traditionally cooked in a sheep’s stomach (though nowadays there is also a veggie version with oats, vegetables, herbs and spices)
Rabbie – Robert Burns, Scotland’s most famous poet
Lang may yer lum reek! – This sounds rude but it’s not. It means, “Long may your chimney smoke.” Rather lovely, we think!
Ceilidh – a ceilidh is a wild and wonderful gathering where there is dancing and partying
At Roulotte Retreat near Melrose Scottish Borders, they take this time of year incredibly seriously indeed. Local theatre company Ideoms are putting on a fantastical evening of Burns-themed entertainment on13, 15, 20, 21, 22, 27 and 28 January and 4 and 5 February at many local venues near Roulotte Retreat, so there are plenty of chances to enjoy the celebrations. Avril says, “Quirky, imaginative and always authentic (like us at Roulotte Retreat!) it is not so much a performance as a party.” Simply put, “it’s Burns!”
And the final temptation: Avril and Alan will give a gift of a free haggis (entirely authentic, or alternatively veggie) for you to cook up in your roulotte whilst sitting by the glowing embers of the wood burning stove – choose from gorgeous Devanna, Gitana, Maharani, the Horseshoe bowtop & cottage or something very special that’s just arrived - the bohemian Rosa Bella.
