Food for thought – if you have the stomach for it!

Must be a slow news week when the origin of our ‘adopted’ or should that be ‘adapted’ national dish is questioned in the Times. We have never laid claim to ‘inventing’ it, however, check the DNA of anyone North of the border and you’ll discover that traces of minced lamb, spices & oatmeal go back generations.


According to The World Burns Club.

"Back in the days when hunting was a means of basic survival, all parts of the dead animal had to be used. The skins were used as clothing, the gut and tissue used as thread for sewing, with the main carcass and organs used as food. The bulk content meat was often dried or salted and proved suitable for a long "shelf life" The innards and organs of the beast were the most perishable parts and had to be consumed first.

Someone, somewhere, sometime, recognised that the stomach made an excellent cooking vessel, and that mixing the organs with spices and meal, placing them in this natural "pot" and cooking the contents provided a highly nutritional and tasty meal. This basic method of cooking has been traced back to Greek and Roman times.

The name "Haggis" however has its origins in more recent history and links are shown to Scandinavian "hag" meaning to "hew" or the French "hageur" - "to cut" or German "hackwurst" meaning "minced sausage" Who knows !

It is difficult to identify exactly when the great Scottish "haggis" as described by Burns, came to be. For sure, in his day, and during the 18th century, the now famous meal was regularly served in Scotland as a tasty, and very healthy meal. It is only from here in Scotland that you can savour a genuine Scottish haggis".


So there you have it!....Here at Clachaig we serve the best Haggis in the Country. Our customers can testify to that as our chef’s handle around 100kg every week. Freshly culled by Macsween - guardian of our national dish - and flown in by Letterfinlay game services.

Enough said, but take heed.....

But mark the Rustic, haggis fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread.
Clap in his walie nieve a blade, He'll mak it whissle;
An' legs an' arms, an' heads will sned,
Like taps o' thrissle.

…..Or something like that!