Burns Night Supper on January 25th
The Ultimate Scottish Menu of Haggis, Neeps, Tatties and Whisky
The annual gastro-literary tribute to the life, works and spirit of the great Scottish poet Robert Burns is celebrated on (or about) the Bard's birthday, January 25th.
Each 25th of January (or thereabouts), Scots worldwide celebrate the birthday of their beloved national Bard, the poet Robert Burns (1759-1796), with a Burns Night Supper.
The Origins of Burns Night Celebrations
The first recorded Burns celebration was held by a group of the poet's friends and acquaintances in July 1801, on the fifth anniversary of his untimely death at the age of 37. From 1802 the date changed to the anniversary of his birth (first believed to be on 29th January due to a biographer's error, then correctly identified as 25th January a few years later).
What Is a Burns Supper?
It is customary to celebrate Burns Night with a Burns Supper, a celebratory meal whose guests would read out Robert Burns poems, sing his songs, have a meal of haggis, neeps and tatties and drink toasts to his everlasting memory. In other words, a Burns Night Supper is a gastro-literary affair celebrating the memory of Robbie Burns, a chance to enjoy his works and some fine traditional Scottish food and drink.
What Happens at a Burns Night Gathering?
Burns Suppers range from formal gatherings of aesthetes and scholars (sometimes men only) to uproariously rave-ups in pubs. Most Burns Suppers however fall in between and more or less adhere to a broad program whose typical steps would be:
- Piping in the Top Table
- Chairman's Welcome
- The Selkirk Grace
- Piping in the Haggis
- Address to a Haggis
- Toast to the Haggis
- Burns supper
- The Immortal Memory
- Toast to the Lassies
- Reply to the Toast to the Lassies
- Vote of Thanks (to the speakers/entertainers/etcetera)
- Auld Lang Syne
The above are normally interspersed with sangs and clatter, that is music (especially piping!), song, Highland ceilidh dancing and entertainment: some celebrants may wish contribute the composition of original songs or poems; some may excel at giving toasts or reciting verse (by, about, or in the spirit of the Bard); other still may be captivating storytellers.
What Is the Menu of a Burns Supper?
The menu - or Bill o' Fare - of a Burns banquet may start with Cock-a-leekie or Scotch Broth (both traditional Scottish soup recipes); the main dish will of course be traditional or vegetarian Haggis (to which Robert Burns dedicated a famous address) served with Bashed Neeps (mashed turnip) and Champit Tatties (mashed potatoes); dessert may be Clootie Dumplin' (a dumpling pudding prepared in a linen cloth) or Scottish Trifle, maybe followed by Bannocks an' Cheese (Scottish Oatcakes and a cheese board) and coffee or tea. Wine is often served with the meal as well as more than just a wee dram of the finest Scottish malt whiskies, generously contributing to the loquacity of the speakers.
Yet fun and national pride are the ultimate ingredients of the event, making a Burns Supper a unique opportunity for visitors to experience the best of Scottish food and heritage in one uproarious sitting.
How Can I Attend a Burns Night Supper?
Throughout Scotland and beyond - in fact, wherever in the world there is a community of Scottish expats - hotels, restaurants, pubs, village halls, clubs, literary societies, universities and schools are likely to organize a Burns event some time in January or February. The date range stretches considerably on either side of the actual Burns Day in order to accommodate the busy schedule of the best speakers and entertainers, who will be much in demand from different locations!
To locate and join a Burns Night Supper or Burns Evening near you, try a Google search with keywords along the lines of "burns supper event", maybe adding the city/area of your choice to the search terms.
And if all else fails, why not organize your own Burns Night Supper?
