Scotland, Part 2: Haggis, Tatties & Neeps

“You have to try haggis”, a phrase uttered by many friends and family before my venture across the pond. I felt this was a trick. 

I had vague knowledge of what the dish was, and I had certainly tried some more interesting culinary delicacies in the past. Escamoles and Rocky Mountain oysters had been on the menu previously, so how bad could this haggis be?            Haggis, tatties and neeps is a tasty stack of potato, parsnips (often mixed with carrot) and haggis

The truth was, it wasn’t actually that bad. It was palatable, and the hint of nutmeg was pleasantly surprising. But my brain had already ruled out the dish, and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't get past the knowledge of what I was eating with each tiny mouthful.

Grilled octopus? No problem. Chicken feet covered in sticky sauce? A breeze. 
Traditional Scottish haggis? Well, I tried. 

And I promise, I truly did give it a fair shot. Not only did I attempt haggis, tatties and neeps - but I gave the dish another try when I was served a breakfast composed of slices of both haggis and black pudding.

For those who do not already know, black pudding is a type of blood sausage typically made from pork or beef blood. Add in a little pork/beef fat or suet, mix in oat groats or barley groats, and you have a nutritious meal. I was surprised to learn that black pudding is so packed with protein, iron and zinc, that it is actually considered a 'superfood'. 

Starting my morning with a Scottish breakfast of a slice of haggis (left) and a slice of black pudding (right)

But back to the star of the post - haggis, the national dish of Scotland, is a mixture of seasoned and spiced minced heart, liver, lungs, oatmeal, suet, and onions cased in the cleaned lining of the animal's stomach. Traditionally sheep would be the animal of choice (understandably, considering the ridiculous amount of sheep throughout the country); however, it isn't unheard of to use pork, beef or venison. 

It is compared to a 'crumbly peppery sausage'. As someone who has never been a fan of sausage generally, it isn't a complete surprise that I struggled with the dish. 

Thankfully, we found that nearly every restaurant was offering a vegan version of haggis. I much preferred the dish when it was made with sunflower seeds, oats and diced carrot and mushroom. In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I would begin to ask for it nearly every morning throughout the remainder of our time in Scotland. I even attempted to make it at home once we had returned from our trip.

So, are you brave enough to try the real haggis? If so, don't forget to pair it with a good Scotch whiskey (we highly recommend Balvenie in this house).