Burns Night

Today is the anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns, Scotland's own bard, on 25th January, 1759.
Most folk know or are at least aware of his "Address to a Haggis", so I thought I'd share a different poem with you, a portent of spring and primroses, sunlight and fresh starts.

The Primrose

Dost ask me, why I send thee here
The firstling of the infant year:
This lovely native of the vale,
That hangs so pensive and so pale?

Look on its bending stalk, so weak.
That, each way yielding, doth not break,
And see how aptly it reveals
The doubts and fears a lover feels.

Look on its leaves of yellow hue
Bepearl'd thus with mornng dew,
And these will whisper in thine ears:-
"The sweets of love are wash'd with tears."

I spent a few years living in Dumfries, the town where Burns spent his last years; he died there on 21st July 1796, aged only 37. I used to drink in The Globe sometimes, the pub where Burns enjoyed meeting his friends in the wee howff; I may have sat in the very spot that he did.

We will be having haggis for tea to commemorate one of my favourite poets, as we always do on this date; very rarely do we eat it at other times of the year.
If you'd like a go, here's the recipe I use:



1 breakfast cupful of oatmeal
1/2 lb suet
1 lamb's heart
same weight of heart in lamb's liver
2 onions chopped
salt to taste
plenty of pepper

Place suet and oatmeal in a bowl with salt and pepper. Mince the liver, onions and heart and add to bowl:
Mix it well with your hands - you should be able to smell the pepper You should end up with a mixture like this:
I put mine into sausage casings as that's what I have. My butcher is unable to supply me with the traditional sheeps' stomach, so sausage skins it is. If you don't have them, the mix can be wrapped in a loosish foil parcel and baked in the oven for 45 minutes or so. - tastes just as good. With the sausage shaped ones, either fry (prick first) or place in covered casserole with an inch of water and cook in the oven for 30 - 45 minutes or so.

Freezes well either before or after cooking.

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Spent an hour this morning making these:



Tested them - lovely! Looking forward to supper!