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owners of large herds to secure milkmaids possessed of good voice and the modern prejudice suffered by haggis: “Why
some ‘go.’ It is interesting and animating to see three or four comely girls everybody except the Scots stopped stuffing the
among a fold of sixty, eighty or a hundred picturesque Highland cows on paunch whilst they went on stuffing the intes-
meadow or mountain slope. The moaning and heaving of the sea afar, tines, the annals of gastronomy do not reveal.
the swish of the wave on the shore, the caroling of the lark in the sky, the And why so many people furth of Scotland
unbroken song of the mavis on the rock, the broken melody of the merle regard the haggis as an uncivilized dish and
in the break, the lowing of kine without, the answering of calves within sausage as a civilized one is another mystery.
the fold, the singing of the milkmaids in unison with the movement of “The choice of haggis as the supreme
their hands, and of the soft sound of the snowy milk falling into the pail, national dish of Scotland is very fitting. It is
the gilding of hill and dale, the glowing of the distant ocean beyond, as a testimony to the national gift of making the
the sun sinks into the sea of golden glory, constitute a scene which the most of small means; for in the haggis we have
observer would not, if he could, forget.” concocted from humble, even despised ingredi-
McNeill adds that well into the twentieth century, the milkmaids ents a veritable plat de gourmets. It contains a
in many parts of Scotland would call their cows with “Proochey, leddy, proportion of oatmeal, for centuries the national
proochey moo!” [Approchez moi!] staple grain, whilst the savoury and wholesome
blending of the cereal with onion and suet. . .
HOW TO HUNT A HAGGIS is typically Scottish. Further, it is a thoroughly
Haggis is simply the apotheosis of the sausage. Poet Robert Burns democratic dish, equally available and equally
regaled it as the “great chieftain o’ the puddin’ [sausage] race,” and further honoured in castle, farm and croft. Finally, the
honored it with a long, mock-heroic poem, “Address to a Haggis,” that use of the paunch of the animal as the receptacle
in recent times is ritually recited before serving forth the haggis during of the ingredients gives that touch of romantic
Burns Night suppers, held each January 25 on the anniversary of Burns’s barbarism so dear to the Scottish heart.”
birth. (This year he celebrated his 250th.) George Saintsbury, perhaps the most influ-
The origin of the name haggis is sometimes attributed to the French ential English historian of the early twentieth
hacher—from which we derive the terms “hash” and “hatchet” in Eng- century, Professor of English at the University
lish—but it is more likely that it simply came from the Scots verb hag, of Edinburgh, and a “distinguished critic of food
meaning to hack or chop. Similar stuffed concoctions were prepared by and wine as well as letters” writes: “Generally
many peoples since antiquity, but only the Scots seem to have preserved speaking, Scotch ideas on food are sound. The
the custom to the present day. McNeill semi-humorously rails against people who regard haggis and sheep’s head as

HAGGIS
(Traditional Cottage Recipe)

The large stomach bag of a sheep, the pluck (including heart, lungs and liver) beef suet, pin-head oatmeal, onions, black
pepper, salt, stock
Brown and birstle (dry or toast) a breakfastcupful of oatmeal before the fire or in the oven. Clean the great bag thor-
oughly, washing it first in cold water and then, after turning it inside out, scalding and scraping it with a knife; then let it
soak overnight in cold salted water. In the morning put it aside with the rough side turned out. Wash the pluck well and
put on to boil covered with cold water, letting the windpipe hang over the side of the pot to let out any impurities.
Let it boil for an hour and a half, then take it out and cut away the pipes and any superfluities of gristle. Mince the
heart and lungs and grate half the liver. (The rest of the liver is not required.) Put them in a basin with half a pound of
minced suet, two medium-sized onions finely chopped, and the toasted oatmeal, and season highly with black pepper
and salt. (A pinch of cayenne, say some housewives, ‘makes all the difference.’) Over the whole pour, preferably when
cold, as much of the liquid in which the pluck was boiled (or, better still, good stock) as will make the mixture sappy.
Fill the stomach bag rather more than half full—say five-eighths—as it requires plenty of room to swell. Sew it up
securely and place it on an enamel plate in a pot of boiling water (to which half a pint of milk is often added), or, better
still, boil it in stock. As soon as it begins to swell, prick it all over with a large needle to prevent its bursting. Boil steadily,
without the lid, for three hours, adding boiling water as required to keep the haggis covered. Serve very hot without any
garnish.
The usual accompaniments are mashed potatoes and mashed turnips or, better still, the two mashed together with
a good piece of dripping.

SPRING 2009 Wise Traditions 63