I have been noticing that when hearing the word “haggis”, many people show a wrinkled brow, along with a bit of a frown. I must say that the ingredients can, indeed, be a bit unnerving (and especially so to those, like myself, who lean to a vegetarian diet). But alas!… haggis is historic; savory; & nourishing. And it is the national dish of Scotland!

Haggis is a type of ‘pudding’ composed of the liver, heart, and lungs of a sheep (or other animal) that is minced and mixed with beef or mutton suet plus oatmeal. It is then seasoned with onion, cayenne pepper and other spices. The mixture would traditionally be packed into a sheep’s stomach lining (much like the original recipe for sausages used the intestine as a casing), and then boiled.

The origins of haggis date back to the times of Homer (700BC) where in his works he alluded to dishes of similar composition. Since the early 1800’s however, the association has been largely refined to the Scottish connection.

I am thinking it is about now that you are wondering why a cheese shop is reminiscing about haggis… let me explain:

Here in St. Andrew’s Plaza, our next-door-neighbor is St Andrew’s College, renowned for Scottish flair and their bagpipe band. With due respect we join in with them to acknowledge January 25th as a celebration of the birthday of the beloved and famous Scottish poet, Robert Burns (1759-1796). On Burn’s Night everywhere, the menu will always be tatties (mashed potatoes); neeps (turnips); along with a generous helping of haggis.

If you are looking for an informal twist on this theme, we suggest a cheese-lovers ode to Scotland:  Comte Cheese and Haggis Toasties!! …and (surprise!) we now carry Stahly’s Scottish Haggis (canned version) at La Jolie! So as  the New Year begins, why not add a bit of midwinter Highland fun. And as they say in Scotland….

Happy New Year… Lang May Yer Lum Reek!!