Scottish Cuisine, or I Ate Haggis
So, you know, Scottish food is... interesting. Anyone that's seen 'So I Married an Axe Murderer' has heard of haggis. Know what it actually is? Ground lamb lungs, beef heart and liver, mixed with oatmeal and traditionally stuffed into a lamb's stomach to cook. (But they wouldn't eat the stomach after cooking it, so it's not that gross.)
Well, I ate haggis a few nights ago, and some of you know that I wasn't eating meat at all before I left the US. So not only was I struggling to eat meat, I was struggling to eat the organs of a cute little baby lamb. I managed because I ate a huge amount of mashed potatoes -- mixed the haggis right in with it. Wasn't that bad, if I didn't think about it.
What I like most about eating here is breakfast. Or more specifically, Chelsea buns. Which, by the way, are English not Scottish. The dad in the family I'm staying with is English, and he makes amazing Chelsea buns. They're kind of like cinnamon rolls, but not quite as sweet or cinnamony. I'm bringing the recipe home and baking them for breakfast on Christmas morning.
And I absolutely love that it is perfectly normal to drink coffee and/or tea all day long. And I love that the family I'm staying with has two espresso machines. That'll be my first purchase when I get back to the States.
Well, I ate haggis a few nights ago, and some of you know that I wasn't eating meat at all before I left the US. So not only was I struggling to eat meat, I was struggling to eat the organs of a cute little baby lamb. I managed because I ate a huge amount of mashed potatoes -- mixed the haggis right in with it. Wasn't that bad, if I didn't think about it.
What I like most about eating here is breakfast. Or more specifically, Chelsea buns. Which, by the way, are English not Scottish. The dad in the family I'm staying with is English, and he makes amazing Chelsea buns. They're kind of like cinnamon rolls, but not quite as sweet or cinnamony. I'm bringing the recipe home and baking them for breakfast on Christmas morning.
And I absolutely love that it is perfectly normal to drink coffee and/or tea all day long. And I love that the family I'm staying with has two espresso machines. That'll be my first purchase when I get back to the States.
posted by Lauren | 7:05 AM
3 Comments:
So.. I am glad you are having a great time but I am feeling a little sick after hearing about haggis. Yuck!! Good job for trying it and for not throwing up! :)
Have fun!
Heather d
Thanks for pictures of your new folks and your beautiful home for the next four months! The kids look fun, and the views are unbelievable. I'm looking forward to Christmas breakfast, not just due to the new dishes you'll put on the table, but mostly having you sitting at our table again. We looked at Glasgow on Google earth, but couldn't tell that you were on a hill overlooking the city.
Proud of you for not turning up your nose at the local cuisine!
Love,
Sarah Jo
People think our ancestors ate these things because they liked them. Fools.
They ate them for the same reason that both Swedes and Mongolians consider "fermented sheep's head" a delicacy: survival.
When you live in a harsh climate, you eat what you have to to survive.
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