Burns night is one of the quirkier festivals in the UK calendar and is celebrated mainly in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
It is a celebration of the
life and poetry of famous Scottish poet Robert Burns (1759–1796), who wrote
mainly in the Scottish dialect. Amongst many other things he wrote the lyrics
to the well-known New Year’s ditty, Auld Lang Syne. Typically Burns
Night is celebrated with a traditional Burns Night supper which is held on or
around Robert Burns’ birthday on 25th January. The
first suppers were held at the end of the 18th century by Robert Burns' friends
on 21st July, the anniversary of his death, and have been a regular occurrence
ever since. The meal has 3
essential features: haggis, Scotch whisky and poetry.
The Meal
The Burns Supper
traditionally begins with the Selkirk Grace, a thanksgiving poem said before
the meal:
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.
This precedes a starter of ‘Cock-a-Leekie’ soup, unsurprisingly
containing chicken and leeks and thickened with barley.
Then comes the real star of
the show! It may sound unappetising but haggis is a savoury pudding containing
sheep's heart, liver and lungs minced with onion, oatmeal, suet and seasoning,
traditionally encased in the animal's stomach. This is served with "neeps
and tatties" (turnip and potato) and washed down with a glass of Scotch
Whisky.
During formal celebrations,
an elaborate ceremony surrounds the presentation of the haggis involving the
playing of bagpipes on its entry and the recitation of the ‘Address to theHaggis’.
Various toasts are proposed
throughout the evening, resulting in the consumption of many a glass of whisky.
Celebrating Burns Night in Oxford?
Why not go for a 3 course
Burns Night Supper at The Crown or The Eagle and Child pub in Oxford which is being
served all this week from Monday 20th - Sunday 26th
January?
Alternatively pick up a haggis from the butchers in the Covered Market and cook up your own celebratory meal following the recipe here.
