Today is the Birthday of Robert Burns, also know as the Scottish Bard, who was born in 1759 and his birth is celebrated on Burns Night (tonight).  My Dad and his family were Scottish so this was something which we celebrated by having haggis, neeps and tatties for dinner with a drop of whiskey.

So if you don’t know what haggis, neeps and tatties are, they are:

Haggis – lamb, beef, oats, onions and spices wrapped.  Neeps – Turnips and carrots mashed together with butter and a little salt and pepper.  Tatties – Potatoes again mashed with butter.

There is a great tradition of addressing the Haggis at the dinner which is brought in separately to the rest of the meal and was written by Burns, which is why it is forever linked to him and his Birthday. 

There are eight stanza’s to the address the first of which is :

Fair fa’ your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o the puddin’-race!
Aboon them a’ ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye worthy o’ a grace
As lang’s my arm.

Translated to :

Good luck to you and your honest, plump face,
Great chieftain of the sausage race!
Above them all you take your place,
Stomach, tripe, or intestines:
Well are you worthy of a grace
As long as my arm.

Of course most people will be more familiar with his more well known poem/song of “Auld Lang Syne” which we all sing at New Year.

Robert Burns Burial site in Dumfries

Burns was regarded as a cultural icon and a pioneer of the Romatic movement and had a great influence on Scottish Literature.  Sadly he died at the young age of 37, although he had managed to have twelve children with his wife Jean and it is believed today there are around 600 living descendants.

The Robert Burns Legacy Tartan

I love haggis, neeps and tatties but DH and the Boys are not keen at all so I usually end up getting a small haggis for myself and then make them cottage pie, although I do try and sneak some of the mashed carrots and turnips onto the Boys plates but they usually find it and don’t eat it!!!  

We won’t be having this tonight though as DH and I still have this dreadful cold and now Youngest has come down with it although Eldest seems to be avoiding it and us at the moment.  Dinner will be quick and easy again as I got about  an hours sleep last night because DH spent most of the night coughing although he did manage to sleep, grr!!!!

I hope you are having a good Thursday.

Hugs, Susie xx