Rabbie Burns

[HUGH]

Today is the anniversary of Robert Burns birthday so we partake of typical, simple Scottish repast:

Breakfast: Porage (though I'd have liked Loch Fyne kippers)
Lunch: Scotch broth (with home-made bread)
Dinner: Haggis, mashed potato & swede (ideally mashed turnip included)
Trifle (sponge with whisky, fruit & chocolate)

Naturally I bought a bottle of single malt for this evening.

I look forward to St. David's day:yum:

[WX7P]

[kb2vxa]

What would a Burns Supper be without haggis? Ah but you forgot the host's welcoming speech and the Selkirk Grace spoken in Gaelic. Then the haggis is piped out, that is brought out on a large dish as the piper leads the way to the table playing The Star O' Robbie Burns, everybody stands. For those not speaking Gaelic grace goes like this in English.

Some hae meat and canna eat,
And some wad eat that want it;
But we hae meat, and we can eat,
And sae let the Lord be thankit.

The host, or perhaps a guest with a talent, then recites the Address to a Haggis. It's a bit long so I'll skip it but at the line His knife see rustic Labour dicht the speaker normally draws and cleans a knife, and at the line An' cut you up wi' ready slicht, plunges it into the haggis and cuts it open from end to end. When done properly this ceremony is a highlight of the evening. If not properly done that too could be the highlight of the evening with quite a mess to clean. At the end of the poem, a Scotch whisky toast will be proposed to the haggis, then the company will sit down to the meal. For my money THAT'S the highlight (mostly high) of the evening.

After the meal there are more speeches, finally the host will call on one of the guests to give the vote of thanks, after which everyone is asked to stand, join hands, and sing Auld Lang Syne bringing the evening to an end. Ach, sooch a wunnerful day, so s'modddre Scootch an' nay a wee dram. Here's t'ya Rabbie!

[HUGH]

haggis-burns-night-supper_39038_600x450.jpg

Tak that yer wee beasty!

We were a bit less ceremonial.

[kb2vxa]

Nay laddie, the line that fits the scene is from Address To a Haggis "An' cut you up wi' ready slicht."