“Oh wad some power the giftie gie us / To see oursel's as others see us!

Tonight, of course, is Burns Night, the annual celebration of Rabbie Burns, poet, rebel, loyalist, romantic, contradiction and all-round Super Scot.

The traditional celebration involves whisky (well, duh) and haggis, the king of foods. Congratulations American readers: haggis is now legal for import, after 21 years of paranoia. Here's one of his lesser-known poems:

Heart, lungs, liver and lights
A Haggis wi' neeps every Scot delights.
Oats, pepper, whisky too,
All washed down wi' Irn-Bru!
And after a snifter o' skag and Buckie
Patriotic Scots sneak off for a…

I'm not a Scot, but Burns is a fantastic poet and haggis is just wonderful. As long as it's homemade or from MacSween. Even their (ahem) vegetarian haggis is lovely. As an after-dinner treat, why not have that traditional Scottish Deep-Fried Battered Mars Bar (I kid you not)?

Awa' the lad and lassie

Thanks to Dan and Georgie for their hospitality last night: top quality haggis, creamy cranachan and deep, dark fondue and entertainment! No murders, either.

Och no!

I was meant to go to a Burns night supper on Sunday, but had to disappear for an unexpected family event. No haggis, no cranachan lovingly handmade by a MacBeth (though I seem to remember that an earlier dinner with the MacBeths went quite badly - someone got drunk and thought he might have seen daggers floating around). So I felt rather guilty and very pleased to hear that Burns Night was postponed until I can make it. 

On culinary matters, the Map Twats are also going to pursue and board The Cheese Boat. What a work of sublime genius - a narrowboat which patrols the canals, selling cheese.