What is haggis made of?
HAGGIS will be enjoyed by many as they celebrate the life of Scotland's most famous poet on Burns Night.
The supper and address is held on January 25 every year, but what is haggis and what happens at the event?
What is haggis?
A haggis is a Scottish dish traditionally made from the heart, stomach or liver of a sheep or calf.
The meat is mixed with onion, suet and oatmeal and boiled in the stomach of the animal.
Recipes can vary, but lamb lungs, liver and heart are often used.
The meat is usually served with neeps and tatties (turnips and potatoes).
How do you address a haggis?
The haggis is the star attraction in the running order of events for Burns Night.
Guests normally stand to welcome the arrival of the dish, which is often served on a silver platter and piped in by bagpipes.
The host then performs a rendition of Address To A Haggis - a poem written by Robert Burns - before slicing the haggis along its length.
The reader then raises the haggis during the final line of the ode to applause from the crowd.
The guests then toast the haggis and then the dish can be served.
There are usually several toasts throughout the evening, with the night ending with guests holding hands singing Auld Lang Syne.
BURNS NIGHT
Where can I buy a haggis from?
The dish is available from many supermarkets in the UK.
Most large retailers will have microwavable options available for a few pounds.
Tesco has a version which can be boiled, oven cooked, heated up in the microwave or shallow fried.
They even have a vegan version, Macsween.
You can also buy a haggis from Lidl, and Aldi has a canned version.
Some stores will be celebrating Burns Night by having bagpipers playing in store and an address to the haggis taking place live.
If you’re hosting a Burns Night get together, check out this recipe for haggis bon bons, served with ginger beer and beetroot.