Burns Night

[Simon-JG-hr]

I know we have a few resident Scots on the board, so wondered if anyone will be enjoying something special (cigar or otherwise) for the special occasion this evening?

I have been forced to serve vegetarian haggis at my little get-together this evening - which I am most unhappy with Sainsbury's about... Surely it defeats the entire point of haggis if it isn't full of all kinds of unsavoury (though thoroughly delicious) animal parts...

I shall be compensating with some nice whisky though - a bit of cask strength Islay should do the trick!

I may have to smoke the celebratory cigar tomorrow though. Was thinking of going for my first PSD4 (courtesy of our esteemed leader). Seems to be a Scottish type of cigar - tough, to the point and generally quite welcoming (unless you stray into the wrong part of Glasgow...)

Anyway, as an Englishman I celebrate Burns Night with great passion - anything which is an excuse for haggis and whisky can only be considered a good thing.

[Eggboy]

Im going to a burns supper on Saturday night in London at a friend of mine who ive known since i was a boy back home in Aberdeen. Did it last year and took a bottle of Bruichladdich Peat which blew everyones socks off it was so heavy! I think it spoiled the Cranachan!

This year going to pick up a Partagas SD 4 to smoke as I love them & to show i'm not going soft i'm gonna buy a bottle of Caol Ila Cask Strength. Beautiful stuff. So oily it should be drizzled on salads.

[shooting-glasses]

The Selkirk Grace

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.

[Struth]

Haggis neeps n tatties tonight never bothered wi the address

Address to a Haggis

Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o' the Puddin-race!
Aboon them a' ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy of a grace
As lang's my arm.

The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdies like a distant hill,
Your pin wad help to mend a mill
In time o' need,
While thro' your pores the dews distil
Like amber bead.

His knife see Rustic-labour dight,
An' cut you up wi' ready slight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright
Like onie ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reekin, rich!

Then, horn for horn they stretch an' strive,
Deil tak the hindmost, on they drive,
Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve
Are bent like drums;
Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive,
Bethankit hums.

Is there that owre his French ragout
Or olio that wad stow a sow,
Or fricasee was mak her spew
Wi' perfect sconner
Looks down wi' sneering, scornfu' view
On sic a dinner?

Poor devil! See him owre his trash,
As feckless as a wither'd rash,
His spindle shank a guid whip-lash,
His nieve a nit;
Thro' bluidy flood or field to dash,
O how unfit!

But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread,
Clap in his walie nieve a blade,
He'll mak it whissle;
An' legs, an' arms, an' heads will sned,
Like taps o' thrissle.

Ye Pow'rs wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o' fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware,
That jaups in luggies;
But, if ye wish her gratefu' prayer,
Gie her a Haggis!

[Struth]

The Translation
Fair is your honest happy face
Great chieftain of the pudding race
Above them all you take your place
Stomach, tripe or guts
Well are you worthy of a grace
As long as my arm

The groaning platter there you fill
Your buttocks like a distant hill
Your skewer would help to repair a mill
In time of need
While through your pores the juices emerge
Like amber beads

His knife having seen hard labour wipes
And cuts you up with great skill
Digging into your gushing insides bright
Like any ditch
And then oh what a glorious sight
Warm steaming, rich

Then spoon for spoon
They stretch and strive
Devil take the last man, on they drive
Until all their well swollen bellies
Are bent like drums
Then, the old gent most likely to rift (burp)
Be thanked, mumbles

Is there that over his French Ragout
Or olio that would sicken a pig
Or fricassee would make her vomit
With perfect disgust
Looks down with a sneering scornful opinion
On such a dinner

Poor devil, see him over his trash
As week as a withered rush (reed)
His spindle-shank a good whiplash
His clenched fist.the size of a nut.
Through a bloody flood and battle field to dash
Oh how unfit

But take note of the strong haggis fed Scot
The trembling earth resounds his tread
Clasped in his large fist a blade
He'll make it whistle
And legs and arms and heads he will cut off
Like the tops of thistles

You powers who make mankind your care
And dish them out their meals
Old Scotland wants no watery food
That splashes in dishes
But if you wish her grateful prayer
Give her a haggis!

[Sludgie]

Burns Night

Yep, we have our Burns Night tomorrow night in the Mess - promises to be fun!

I am doing the grace - the Selkirk grace as quoted above. I just hope as an Englishman, my accent does it justice. Looking forward to the Whisky and the Haggis - not to mention the Aberdeen Angus Fillet Steak!! Yum Yum!!

As for the whisky and cigar for the night, I shall have a hip flask full of Ardbeg Uigeadail and a Monte Sublimes sneakily hidden in my Mess Kit!

Cannae wait!!!

Nick (Sludgie)

[Puff Scotty]

Yep, we have our Burns Night tomorrow night in the Mess - promises to be fun!

I am doing the grace - the Selkirk grace as quoted above. I just hope as an Englishman, my accent does it justice. Looking forward to the Whisky and the Haggis - not to mention the Aberdeen Angus Fillet Steak!! Yum Yum!!

As for the whisky and cigar for the night, I shall have a hip flask full of Ardbeg Uigeadail and a Monte Sublimes sneakily hidden in my Mess Kit!

Cannae wait!!!

Nick (Sludgie)

Perfect Saltie..I'm envious, specially the OOOH GAA DALE !

[Styler]

I enjoyed my haggis immensely, as I always do. Every burns night I think to myself "I adore Haggis, why don't I eat more of it through the rest of the year!" then I promptly forget until Burn's night rolls around again.

Didn't have a chance to get a good smoke in, I seem to be in a phase of not liking smoking alone and since I don't really know many people who smoke cigars I rarely get the opportunity! I'm sure it will pass once the weather has warmed up a bit. I did get quite a way through a bottle of Talisker Distillers Edition though

[Pantomimehorse]

I work with a bunch of Scots so we all went down the local for their Burns supper. Was ok but I dont think the bar got the grub quite right, there was many a moaning Scot at our table... booze went down well mind

[Puff Scotty]

[QUOTE=Eggboy;133261]Im going to a burns supper on Saturday night in London ...... Im heading out Barcelona next Friday for a stag weekend
QUOTE]

Hey up Eggy! Two places at once! you'll have to teach me that trick!

[whisky77]

Venison.

Yep, we have our Burns Night tomorrow night in the Mess - promises to be fun!

I am doing the grace - the Selkirk grace as quoted above. I just hope as an Englishman, my accent does it justice. Looking forward to the Whisky and the Haggis - not to mention the Aberdeen Angus Fillet Steak!! Yum Yum!!

As for the whisky and cigar for the night, I shall have a hip flask full of Ardbeg Uigeadail and a Monte Sublimes sneakily hidden in my Mess Kit!

Cannae wait!!!

Nick (Sludgie)

Good effort with the Ardbeg and the Sublime mate. Hope you have a great evening.

I will be celebrating with some vevison steaks and Haggis, and of course a few refreshments to wash it all down. Not sure what to smoke though.

[Puff Scotty]

Just a quick one for those that don't know..Burns Night was yesterday 25th) & it 'was' only usual to celebrate him on his birthday. But hey ho any excuse will do

[Simon-JG-hr]

Quick update: veggie haggis is a very poor substitute for the real thing.

Give me entrails stuffed in a stomach any day.

Went with a nice Carn Mor cask strength Islay in the end to make up for the lack of proper haggis.