AND LET THEM HAVE HAGGIS!

I must admit, I did not know what Haggis was.  I clarify that I know what it is made from.

It's lore proceeds it. But the reality is somewhat different.  Potentially due to its basis as a  food of the dispossessed, downtrodden, and poor peoples, do foods like Haggis, become looked down upon. 

Lobster was once considered a trash food for poor people in the North East US, now look at its status!

Being raised in Florida, or termed a Cracker, I've consumed foods most people from the States would term as bizarre.  Frog Legs, Crawdads, Gar Fish, Turtle, Gopher Tortoise(illegal now due to endangered status, but I did not break the law at the time), Catfish, Swamp Cabbage (hearts of palm) and other foods farmers, fisherman, or hunters come across in the backwoods and bayous of Florida.  All quiet tasty when prepared properly.

Now let me set the stage for what Haggis is not.  Worms, something crawling,  or other horrid tasting,squirming thing, or my worst nightmare, Liver and Onions.  

Now let me set the stage for what Haggis is.  It is a delightfully subtle yet robust flavored dish.  It is a minced dish of various sheep  ingredients , which together are better than a good southern US pork sausage.  It's minced versus ground which means its not as mixed together.  Typically served with Tatties or Mash (Mashed Potatoes), and Neeps (Mashed Turnip Root) and all quiet tasty! My version was served with a delightful whiskey sauce. 

Now please disconnect your brain from your taste buds and stomach.  Leave your predetermined American or other cultures baggage behind.  The various ingredients , are parts of the sheeps' pluck and various ingredients and spices.  For those who want to know click here, http://en.wikipedia.org /wiki/Haggis for those who are willing to eat something and don't want to know, don't click. 

For me, I am convinced the bias against Haggis is some English conspiracy to look down upon the Scots, the kind of rumor and backbiting that young teen age girls conduct against each other, but conducted on a National Level. Told  often enough it becomes a sort of Truth. It resembles the Stone of Scone issue, which is even an all the more sensitive subject in Scotland, it only took a few minutes of walking around Castle Rock to learn about that one.  But that's another subject for time.

Happy Travels and Let Them Have Haggis!