Happy Robbie Burns Day...

For all of you fortunate enough to have Scottish heritage, here you go:


ODE TO A HAGGIS

Fair fa’ your honest, sonsie face,
Great Chieftan o’ the Puddin-race!
Aboon them a’ ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy of a grace
As lang’s my arm

The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdies like a distant hill,
You pin wad help to mend a mill
In time o’need
While thro’ your pores the dews distil
Like amber bead

His knife see Rustic-labour dight,
An’ cut you up wi’ ready slight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright
Like onie ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reeking, rich!

Then, horn for horn they stretch an’ strive,
Deil tak the hindmost, on they drive,
Till a’ their weel-swall’d kytes belyve
Are bent like drums;
Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive
Bethankit hums

Is there that owre his French ragout,
Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad mak her spew
Wi’ perfect sconner,
Looks down wi’ sneering, scornfu’ view
On sic a dinner?

Poor devil! see him owre his trash,
As feckless as a wither’d rash
His spindle-shank a guid whip-lash,
His nieve a nit;
Thro’ bluidy flood or field to dash,
O how unfit!

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

Ye pow’rs wha mak mankind your care,
An’ dish them out their bill o’fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware
That jaups in luggies;
But, if ye wish her gratefu’ pray’r,
Gie her a Haggis!

 

2 oz. Scotch
3/4 oz. Sweet Vermouth
1/4 oz. Benedictine
2 Dashes Angostura Bitters

 

For the Scotch-illiterate among us, that makes what?

(And, no, I don't think "tastes like haggis" has meme potential.)

 

A Rob Roy. It's a cocktail which went out of style about the same time Chesterfields did. On Robert Burns' birthday, it's a sin to mention adulterating Scotch with other ingredients (although I often drink such cocktails, just not on this occasion, or thread).

 

Michael is close.

It's a Bobby Burns of course! It's a Rob Roy variant, which is itself a Manhattan variant.

A Manhattan is usually made with Rye whiskey. A Rob Roy subs in Scotch Whiskey for the Rye.

The Bobby Burns replaces a little bit of the sweet vermouth with Benedictine.

My cocktail guide says this:

A delicious and slightly sweeter take on the time tested Rob Roy. Savoy, Harry Craddock, first published 1930.

I might make one in a little bit in honor/honour of the day. Stay tuned...

 

Today in 1759, Robert Burns was born in Ayrshire, Scotland. He became the country's most famous poet and lyricist, was known as Bard of Ayrshire, and in Scotland simply as The Bard. He wrote the song "Auld Lang Syne," is considered a pioneer of the Romantic movement, and was influential to the Socialist movement after his death. He remains an important cultural icon in Scotland.

Why do we care about all this? Because there's a cocktail name after him, of course!

The Bobby Burns, which first appeared in Harry Craddock's 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book, is made with Scotch (of course), and is similar to a Rob Roy except that it takes a couple of dashes of Benedictine, for a smooth, herbal drink. Scotch cocktails are both trendy right now and often not very good (or at least not as good as the scotch would have been on its own) but this drink puts its odd peaty characteristics in the best light.

So cheers to Robert Burns -- happy birthday, Bard!

Bobby Burns Cocktail
Makes 1 cocktail
Note: Adapted from The Savoy Cocktail Book: The Savoy calls for equal parts Scotch and vermouth, but we've adapted for a more modern, boozy cocktail.

2 ounces blended Scotch whisky
1 ounce Italian vermouth, such as Punt E Mes
1 dash angostura bitters
2 dashes Benedictine

1. Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass
2. Garnish with lemon twist

http://blogs.laweekly.com/squidink/2013/01/robert_burns_cocktail_recipe.php

 

Mmmm, haggis.

 

Might apply to the woman Care Bear always insists on posting.

 

Here you go:



Micheal, I didn't use any of the single malt.

 

The one thing I remember about Robbie Burns from my college lit class is he had no problem getting the lassies.