ChickSpeak

A typical January day in Great Britain greets our lot of American student-travelers with cold wind and rain. As five naive culinary explorers, we are determined to experience British pub life against the odds of a UK winter.

My friends and I have just two things on our minds. First, we want to know what the rave around the pub culture is really about. Second, we are in dire need of a break from the blasé airport food and predictable brown-bag lunches that we have been living off of for the greater part of our month-long travels. Passing by a small and authentic Scottish pub in Central London leads us to a unanimous decision to experiment our palettes with the real deal. Nothing says comfort better than a fireside meal inspired by the Highlands, complete with Scottish bagpipes, woolen plaid kilts and hot food to warm us up on a damp London day.

“No dessert until you finish all the neeps on your plate,” a mother loudly scolds her young and uncooperative son in the booth next to us. Neeps? Confused glances shoot across the table as my American friends signal that I am not the only one having trouble conceptualizing what a ‘neep’ could possibly be. Studying the menu, I see ‘neeps’ offered alongside an almost incomprehensible list of other apparently delectable Scottish offerings. Excuse me, Server…a little help please?

Following a colorful explanation from a sympathetic Scot, we learn that the Scottish pubs in London have begun to prepare their traditional menus for the annual Burns Night celebration, which takes place each year on January 25th. My culinary curiosity is in full swing as I am starved to investigate more about such gastronomic delights. My table of adventuresome friends is also intrigued by this mysterious menu as we begin to investigate a variety of sources to see who knows what about Burns Night. The following is what we learn from reviewing countless recipes as well as talking with London’s pub-goers, local college students, and even our university deanery.

In fact, Dean Hoffman of the London School of Economics’ Study Abroad Program attempts to answer our question in an email to his students describing that “Burns Night … is a supper held to celebrate the birth of Scotland’s most famous poet, Robert Burns (probably best known for having penned ‘Auld Lang Syne’ sung on New Year’s Eve).” The Burns Night tradition began as a supper celebration in the late 18th century following Burns’ death.

Today, Burns Night suppers are normally held on the poet’s January birthday as a way to break up the long winter nights in the UK. While the Burns Night celebration is most common in Scotland and Northern Ireland, it occurs wherever Scottish Societies, Burns Poetry Clubs, expatriate Scots, or Scottish Pubs are located-hence, our stumble across such a celebration in the heart of London. An informative local Londoner describes Burns Night as a celebration that includes whiskey, toasts, poetry, singing, and, of course, authentic Scottish dishes, including ‘neeps’, which is Scottish slang for the everyday root vegetable that Americans refer to as the turnip

For starters, the meal begins with cock-a-leekie soup. This zesty hot soup is a combination of chicken, leeks, rice and prunes served with wedges of warmed soda bread spread thick with melting butter. It has a similar taste and texture to classic chicken-noodle soup, but its rich flavor is enhanced by old-world tradition and exaggerated each time you dip into the creamy bowl for another delicious spoonful. The soup is mouth-watering to the final drop, can probably cure the common cold, and is insanely filling. Nonetheless, my curiosity leaves me hungry to find out about the next traditional course.

Haggis is usually the main course. It is not recommended for the picky-eater and certainly not for the squeamish. Haggis is a stir-fry mixture of sautéed sheep’s pluck, for lack of a better description to ease the queasiness in my own ‘pluck’, lamb’s liver, and a variety of fragrant spices. “You would truly have to be wired as a Scot, or maybe even a mountain man, to enjoy such a dish,” my friend remarks. She adds, “Haggis is not food for the first date!”

To my surprise, however, many pubs offer an updated and greener version of this age-old recipe, which is a vegetarian haggis, or a stir-fry rendition of kidney beans, lentils, assorted root vegetables, nuts, oats, and various seasonings. The haggis is served along with neeps and tatties. Neeps and tatties is a combination of tenderly roasted turnips and silken mashed potatoes. Not only does this Burns Night smorgasbord allow diners to take part in a Scottish tradition, but swapping the outdated haggis for its healthier vegetarian version can make people feel good about their dining experience as well. You can have your haggis and eat it too!

It is eventually time for the finale. The cranachan dessert comes to the table in a heaping mixture of chilled whipped cream, warm whisky, smooth honey, and fresh raspberries topped-off with lightly toasted oatmeal. Cranachan is a massive, volcanic trifle serving the eyes as well as the tummies. Diners leave the Scottish pub in utter satisfaction, wafting away alongside the aromas of Scottish cuisine.

Today, I will definitely bring my friends and my empty stomach over to a London hot-spot to partake in a Burns Night Supper. In the meanwhile, I dare to challenge any non-Scot to identify the root vegetable affectionately called ‘neep’.

Katherine is a junior at Georgetown University, spending a year-abroad to study at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Katherine hails from a large family that appreciates good food and foreign adventures.