Burns Nicht

January 25th is Burns Night. A celebration well known through much of Europe but sadly it doesn't measure as a blip on the Australian calendar. Rabbie Burns is Scotland's darling poet and the 25th is his birthday (back in 1759). Maybe you know him from penning 'Auld Lang Syne'? He came from Ayrshire which is on the south west coast of Scotland. Given I was there in winter, I thought Ayr was quite a nice town. Apparently once you've lived there for a year you hate everything in Ayr and want to kick yourself for not getting out sooner. Shem shem. Burns Night is very big on mainland Scotland. I make this geographical distinction because Ben assures me it holds as much significance on Shetland as it does here in Melbourne.
Despite our indifference to the poet I felt it was a beautiful opportunity to celebrate something Scottish. It also turns out Jan 25th marks 1 year since Ben and I met at the Ro Ro on the morning before Up Helly Aa.
Ben invited a Scottish friend of a Scottish friend who's fae Perthshire du kens. He's been in Australia for a year and a half and had just got engaged on the Sunday! Plus my oldest bestie has finally come home east again after years of trawling the West with her fella living out of a car and having the wildest adventure. We were good friends in high school and used to get up to all kinds of shit. So it was a bit of a couples night at the Manningham Manor as we celebrated Burns' Night with the traditional Burns Supper. The formula for Burns Supper is thus:
* 1 x haggis
* neeps and tatties (swede and potato)
* whisky
...and of course the Toast To The Lassies, The Toast To The Laddies and the all important Address To A Haggis (which was recited by Calum by heart in his creamy Scottish accent.)

I stalked out the delivery of the last haggis to all of Melbourne at the DJs food court. It was epic. Rob's British Butcher in Dandenong is the King of Haggis. This was the most delicious haggis I've ever had- better than in Scotland!

We started with mussels because I first cooked (Shetland) mussels when I was in Scotland (fresh from the Partick Farmers' Market) and they're easy and cheap this time of year and delicious. Haggis, neeps and tatties was yummers. Ben went to the market and bought bones and made a gravy that was pure dead brilliant. We had a drop in visit from the supercouple Astrid and Cameroon so it was a very casual but very lovely dinner party. To heal my mum's anxious thoughts, yes, we did recite a wee bit of Burns poetry, token as it may have been!

Unfortunately the night did not conclude in burling with a ceilidh. Sadface. I've got that Boston Two-step nailed. There was no sign of tartan and there were certainly no bagpipes. But our fringe Burns celebration was both delicious and fun. So I think that's a win for everyone. Happy birthday Rabbie!

For the Foodies

I found something delicious and lovely.
Trotski and Ash.

Melburnian musings and recipies.
Boy it looks good.
I do hope my frineds Deb and Niki take a look.

I plan to attempt crumpets very soon. That's about as far down the list I got but my it looks like there are quite a few treasures hidden in there!
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