When
I was younger one of my favorite books series to read was the Little House on
the Prairie series. The Little House books are extensive and include books
devoted to Martha Morse, Laura Ingalls Wilder’s great-grandmother who grew up
in Scotland. The stories are interwoven with bits of Scottish culture and one
piece of Scottish culture that always stood out to me was the traditional
haggis that was eaten.
Haggis as described by Wikipedia is
“a savory pudding containing sheep’s pluck (heart, liver and lungs); minced
with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt. Traditionally encased in the
animal’s stomach and simmered for three hours.” Gross. However, when I learned
that I would be visiting Scotland for a few days last summer, I knew that I
couldn’t let the opportunity to try Haggis pass me by.
Upon arriving in Scotland, our first meal was eaten
at a local pub. I had talked my friend, Laura, into trying haggis with me so we
were thrilled when we saw haggis on the menu. We ordered a side of haggis and
upon its arrival, we simultaneously took a bite. What was the verdict?
Honestly, kind of tasty. I would not choose to eat haggis on a regular basis,
mostly due to its unusual texture. The haggis was mushy and a bit chewy. The
texture was unlike any I’ve ever experienced. But the flavor itself was
impressively good considering the ingredients.
I have also read the Little House on the Prairie series. I thought they were very interesting to read and learn about her life growing up. Are there any other book series you enjoy or enjoyed reading?
ReplyDeleteWhy do books like Laura Ingalls Wilder and books about her family draw your interest so much?
Visiting a place like Scotland seems like a cool experience. I have never visited another country. Have you visited any other foreign countries?
I don’t think I would even order Haggis. It doesn’t look like something I would enjoy. While visiting Scotland, did you eat any other unusual or unique food items?
One thing about historically based books that draws my interest is knowing that the people really lived and the events really happened. I also love knowing that it’s possible to visit the same places that the people in the books lived. When I was younger I also really enjoyed the Chronicles of Narnia book series so I found it to be a bummer that Narnia wasn’t a place I could visit.
DeleteVisiting Scotland was an incredible experience; I would go back in a heartbeat. On my trip last summer we visited Scotland, England, and France. After visiting those countries I realized that everything I’ve ever heard about Parisians being rude is true; however, I found that the people in the UK are very friendly. My family doesn’t travel very much so it was a completely new experience for me. I like to joke that I’ve been to Scotland, England, and Paris but I still have never seen the ocean.
As for other interesting foods, while I was in Scotland I tried a Scottish soda called Irn Bru. That was quite tasty, although no one could pinpoint what it tasted like. It was orange in color and one person suggested that it tastes like butterscotch. I’m not a fan of butterscotch and I personally didn’t think that it tasted like butterscotch. It had a flavor that seemed incredibly familiar to me but I honestly wasn’t able to come up with any possibilities for a flavor.
Haggis! Even the name is terrifying! That ingredient list means you are a brave girl for even trying it..it makes me shudder. Did you try anything else gross like blood pudding or kippers? When you were abroad, what was the best food that we try to imitate here in the states but doesn't come close to the real thing? For example pizza or pasta? I am going to Europe next summer. If you had to give me one piece of advice what would it be? I think we will be in Scotland as well as England and possible Wales.
ReplyDeleteI was very excited to hear that you will be visiting Scotland. I didn’t expect to love Scotland as much as I did, and I would definitely recommend trying haggis while you’re there, if only to be able to say that you have. But in truth, it isn’t nearly as bad as it sounds. Unfortunately, I did not try any other gross foods while I was in the UK. I had really wanted to try blood pudding but I didn’t see it on any menus. Two foods that are done better in Europe as compared to the United States are pizza and boxed sandwiches. When I think about buying a boxed sandwich here in South Dakota, I shudder. It sounds revolting; however, boxed sandwiches are delicious there. While you are in the UK, find a grocery store and buy a boxed sandwich. Also, while you are in the UK make sure that you eat at a Bella Italia restaurant. They have great pizza and desserts. I implore you to try one of their desserts. A piece of advice that I would give you is to buys lots of souvenirs. While I was there, I felt like I was buying a lot, but once I got home I realized that I really hadn’t bought that much and wished that I had not been so conservative with my money. Oh yeah, and wear comfortable shoes. There will be a lot of walking no matter where you are.
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