Haggis banned in the USA?

[galopede]

Say it's not so! Just read this article on the BBC News web site:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21128089

It says haggis has been banned in the USA since 1971! Is that true or have the Beeb got it wrong? With Burns Night tomorrow I can't believe this!

How can you have Burn's Night without the haggis? What do they say the address to the Haggis to?

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

And so on for eight verses!

Gareth

 

[Mick]

It would not matter. There is not any "authentic" British food over here anyway.

Man I miss "real" Sausage and Chips.....

 

[saf]

In the US you can't use sheep lung which is a part of the real deal. I've only had our fake Haggis so I have no idea how the real deal is different. Might have to go underground and get a sheep lung to make it.

 

[Haggises]

Saf has it right. Sheep lung not classified as a foodstuff by the USDA.
There are some passable attempts and some atrocities.
I had a can from Caledonian Kitchen once which was OK.

 

[global_dev]

I just learned that burns gave the world "Auld Lang Syne". I had no idea who burns was till you brought up this thread.

 

[Haggises]

He also gave us Wee sleekit cowerin timrous beastie, but that's another kettle o' fish.

 

[YetiDave]

Haggis in a can!? What is the world coming to? I feel for you guys, I really do, haggis is absolutely delicious. In fact I'm attempting to convert my girlfriend to a fan of it tonight

 

[Rushman2112]

Ha ha, I know a lot of sweaties out here that wouldn't touch haggis if you paid them!

 

[_MementoMori_]

I've had haggis twice in the past year or so at a place here in St. Louis called The Scottish Arms. Here's a link to their website:

http://www.thescottisharms.com/

 

[oldtrout]

It would not matter. There is not any "authentic" British food over here anyway.

And that's a bad thing?

 

[ouch]

It's not banned, it's just that Mayor Bloomberg announced that the maximum portion size of haggis is now limited to three grams.

For once, I can't argue with his honor.

 

[Shave_Rat]

In the US you can't use sheep lung which is a part of the real deal. I've only had our fake Haggis so I have no idea how the real deal is different. Might have to go underground and get a sheep lung to make it.

From what I recall, to expand that further, they had determined it was possible to contract like tuberculosis from eating sheep lung if it was infected and not prepared well enough, or something?

I'm not sure how much that one thing affects the taste/texture of the finished product. I've had one American approved version and one authentic version when I was in the UK, and I didn't really notice a ton of difference, past some spices being more prevalent in one over the other, and vice versa.

 

[Bill R]

Apart from the fact that as it's Burns night tonight we will certainly be enjoying Haggis. Perhaps you may enjoy this...



Ode Tae A Fart – Robbie Burns


Oh what a sleekit horrible beastie,
Lurks in yer bellie efter a feastie,
Just as ye sit doon among yer kin
There starts to stir an enormous wind.

The neeps and tatties and mushy peas
Start working like a gentle breeze
But soon the pudding wi' the sauncie face
Will hae ye blawin' a' ower the place

Nae matter whit the hell ye dae
a'body's gonnae hae tae pay
Even if ye try tae stifle
it's like a bullet oot a rifle

Hawd yer bum ticht tae the chair
Tae try tae stop the leakin' air
Shift yersel fae cheek tae cheek
Pray tae god it disnae reek

But a' the efforts go asunder
Oot it comes like a clap o' thunder
Ricochets arrond the room
Michty me! a sonic boom

God almighty it fairly reeks
A' hope a' huvnae **** ma breeks
Tae the bog a' better scurry
Whit the hell, it's no ma worry

A'body roon aboot me choakin'
One or two are nearly boakin'
I'll feel better for a while
Cannae help but raise a smile

It wis him! I shout and glower
Alas too late, he's just keeled ower
Ye dirty bugger! They shout and stare
I'm no that welcome any mair

Where e're ye go let yer wind gang free
That sounds jist the joab fir me
Whit a fuss at Rabbie's party
Ower the sake o' one wee farty

 

[Alacrity59]

I'd say that was from Bobby Burns from the local tavern . . . supersonic indeed! Hilarious

I'm putting my Steward food down now . . . Back to food please gents.

You know that Haggis is made from mountain sheep. Grazing clockwise around the mountain tops they've adapted over the years to such an extent that their left legs are a tad longer than their right legs. This makes them extra nimble on the mountain side and they are darn difficult to catch. The fact is that they were so difficult to catch that there was a haggis shortage. Fortunately Andoogle McDonnell was having a we dram and came up with a cunning plan. He got the locals to start their hunt in the counter clockwise direction. To this day the supply of haggis has been assured.

Gent's raise a glass with me this night to The Andoogle McDonnell.

 

[Doc4]

I just learned that burns gave the world "Auld Lang Syne". I had no idea who burns was till you brought up this thread.

Would you believe ...

... he's God?

 

[Kentos]

Would you believe ...

... he's God?

He was also the Devil