Held on January 25th and originally a celebration in Scotland and Northern Ireland, this exciting occasion celebrating the life and works of Robert Burns, regarded as the national poet of Scotland, is largely recognised throughout the world.
The evening celebration derives from a supper held by Burns’ on the fifth anniversary of his death, and nowadays consists of delicious food, Scotch whisky, copies of Burns’ work and an abundance of bagpipes!
Every Burns Supper has its own unique twist and be both formal and informal, with haggis as the centre piece of tradition.
If you fancy celebrating Burns Night this year you’ll need to consider these very important factors to create the perfect Burns Supper!
Cock-a-leekie Soup
This delicious chicken, leek and rice broth, flavoured with bacon, prunes and seasoning often takes pride of place as a starter on Burns Night. It has been suggested that prunes were originally added to the recipe in times when meat was scarce and used sparingly to make the soup even more nutritious!
Haggis
Haggis is a type of sausage or savoury pudding that combines meat with oatmeal, onions, salt and spices and is the centre piece of any good Burns Supper. Its entrance is one of upmost importance and traditionally involves the chef carrying it in on a silver platter followed by a piper, it is at this point that the appointed speaker provides guests with a dramatic rendition of Burns’ ‘Address to a Haggis’ slices it open with a knife and invites the guests to raise a toast, before it is carried back and prepared for dinner.
Haggis requires heating until piping hot, and can be boiled in the bag, baked in the oven or microwaved and is traditionally served with delicious neeps and tatties, a mixture of swede and potato.
Cranachan
This traditional Scottish dessert, also known as ‘crowdie cream’ after the soft Scottish cheese originally used in place of the cream, is a fantastic way to end your Burns Supper and is usually made from a mixture of whipped cream, whisky, honey and fresh raspberries, with toasted oatmeal soaked overnight in a little bit of whisky.
Scotch Whisky
Scotch whisky is as much part of the celebration as the haggis it’s poured onto! Enjoyed as part of the toasts and incorporated into many dishes there are many diverse variations of Scotch whisky, so you have plenty of options!
There are hundreds of recipes available for your Burns Supper with many opportunities to add your very own twist. If you’re spending time in Scotland over the Burns Night period make sure you check out all the fantastic celebrations and forms of entertainment! If you fancy experiecing Scottish tradition, why not book onto one of our coach holidays?
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