Celebrate Robert Burns Day Properly

Jan. 18, 2012 - PRLog -- Every January 25, Scottish groups herald the life and poetry of Scottish Poet, Robert Burns, also known as Scotland’s Favourite Son.  Following Burns’ death in 1796, his family and fellow Scots in a club called The Mother Club began a tradition of gathering for supper to honor his life and recite his poetry.  Since then, formal and informal suppers have been held near his birthday to continue the tradition.
Each Burns supper follows an order of events, starting with the Host’s welcome and reading of  the Selkirk Grace, taken from a blessing that Burns gave at a party hosted by the Earl of Selkirk.  “Some hae meat and canna eat it/ Some wad eat that want it/ But we hae meat, and we can eat/ And sae let the Lord be thankit”.  Following the Welcoming, the soup course begins.  It is usually a Scottish soup such as a Scotch Broth, Potato Soup, or Cock-A-Leekie.  The main course is a haggis, whose large plated entrance is heralded by bagpipers and its own poem, “Address to a Haggis”.  This eight stanza poem gives cues for the cleaning of the knife and the dramatic plunging of said knife in the haggis, followed by its proper carving.  Done well, this is usually the highlight of the evening.  Immediately following the poem, a toast is offered to the haggis, preferably with single malt scotch.
Following the meal of Scottish recipes, the life of Robert Burns is recalled by a member of the dinner party, ended with a toast (of more scotch) to Burns.  More toasts follow with humorous references to the laddies and lassies of the party, a thanks to the host, then a series of Burns’ songs and poems.  Some of his poems include To a Mouse, To a Louse, Tam O' Shanter, The Twa Dugs, Holy Willie's Prayer.
Each supper is different, but always has haggis (sheep’s heart, liver, and lungs typically stored in the sheep’s stomach lining), scotch whiskey, and entertaining toasts and poetry.  Houston British import store, British Isles, stocks a traditional canned haggis as well as a vegetarian canned haggis.  Instead of the sheep ingredients, it contains soybean, rutabaga, lentils, kidney beans, mushrooms, and oats.  Naturally, there is no sheep skin used in the vegetarian haggis.  Why call it haggis when there is no trace of the Scottish sheep?  To allow all to enjoy the ceremony required in a Robert Burns Supper, of course. The canned haggis does not include the sheep’s skin as the can itself serves as the container.
Find haggis online at www.britishislesonline.com/stahly/stahlyoriginalhaggis.aspx#.TxB_InKVF_8 and vegetarian haggis at http://britishislesonline.com/stahly/stahlyvegetablehaggi...

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British Isles has been filling the demands for British merchandise since 1993. We stock china and crystal, formal and casual dinnerware, gifts, collectibles, toiletries. British Isles also supplies food, tea and candy.