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Every community seems to have it's own 15 minutes of fame. For almost 60 years, Fergus, Ontario has been the home of The Fergus Highland Games. A few years ago the name was changed to The Fergus Scottish Festival. It's now a 3 day affair.
Over the next few hours, our population will soar from 8,000 to over 50,000 as Scots and wantabee Scots invade our fair town. This is a Scotsman's version of Letterheads. We've got Pipe Band Competitions & Massed Bands, Highland Dancing, Masses Flings, Tug of War, Caber Toss, Hammer Throw, Celtic Music Concerts, Workshops, Jam Sessions, Scotch Tasteing and so much more. How I wish Mike Meyers and Stewart could be here in town. These things are always more fun when seen thru a visitor's eyes.
Here is a link to the Fergus Scottish Festival. Maybe next year eh?
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Wish I was there Steve...I'd give Haggis a try what the heck. Don't know about wearing the kilt, though! On second thought, maybe after a couple of wobbly sticks..
------------------ Mario G. Lafreniere aka Fergie.
jnsigns@onlink.net Chapleau, Ontario home of "The World's Largest Game Preserve" Spring is upon us,in Shania Twain Country. Farewell snow,here comes the mosquito!
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HAGGIS IS GOOD! Very non-objectionable! Kinda like GRITS. Most folks just cringe at the name of the dish (haggis or grits) without trying them. BOTH are yummee!!! Well "yummee" might be an overstatement but neither are objectionable in taste.. In fact both are very bland.
By the way..I KNOW what Shortreed wears under HIS kilt!
(hint..it is red and it ain't pretty!!!!!!!!!! LOL)
------------------ Dave Grundy AKA "applicator" on mIRC "stickin' sticky stuff to valuable vessels and vehicles!" in Granton, Ontario, Canada 1-519-225-2634 dave.grundy@quadro.net www.quadro.net/~shirley
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Adrienne, We love bagpipes (it's a firefighter thing). I'd go for the bagpipes but not the haggis:-)
quote:Originally posted by AdrienneMorgan: Aye.....being of Scottish decent myself, I grew up attending the Games! You have to be a true Scot to LOVE the wail of bagpipes, and i do!
I wish I could attend with ya Steve, if you do go, have a scottish meat pie for me....
Man asking a Scotsman.... "So, is anything [b]worn under the kilt"?
Scotsman: "Nay, it's all in workin' order"!
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------------------ Sharon Bigler A Good Sign Chambersburg, PA
Posts: 202 | From: Chambersburg, PA USA | Registered: Jul 2001
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Debbie Delzell
unregistered
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I wish I was going. Our family has been having a family reunion in North Carolina the last few years. And they go to the Grandfather Mountains Highland Games as part of the reunion. We now participate in the Calling of the Clans ceremony. Never had haggis but would like to try it
Great chieftain o' the puddin' race! Warning....It's not for the weak of heart!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Procure the large stomach bag of a sheep, also one of the smaller bags called the King's Hood, together with the pluck, which is the lights, liver and heart. the bags must be well washed, first in cold water, then plunged in boiling water and scraped, care being taken of the large bag which should lie and soak in cold water with a little salt all night. Wash also the pluck. You will now boil the small bag along with the pluck, in boiling leave the windpipe attached and let the end of it hang over the edge of the pot, so that impurities may pass freely out. Boil for an hour and a half. Remove from pot. Cut away the windpipe and any bits of skin or gristle that seem improper.
Grate the quarter of the liver and mince the heart, lights and small bag and half a pound of beef suet very fine. Mix with two cups of oatmeal browned in the oven, and two teaspoonsful of black ground pepper and salt. Add half a pint of the liquor in which the pluck was boiled, stir all together, then place in the large bag, filling only a little more than half, for if crammed too full it will burst with a swelling of the meal and meat. Sew up the bag with needle and thread. Place the haggis on a plate and still on the plate put it in a pan of boiling water and cook for three hours, prickng occasionally with a large needle as it swells to allow the air to escape. If the bag appears thin tie in a cloth as well.
The haggis was served in a napkin on a dish without garnish or gravy, it being consider rich enough in itself.
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quote:"I think most Scottish food is based on a dare..."
-Mike Meyers From the movie "So I married an axe murderer"
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------------------ Adrienne Morgan Splash Signs "Wherever you go...there you are!" www.splashsigns.com "Rainkatt'on chat
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And from the Monty Python songbook........ (sorry, Steve, you started it!)
Horace Much to his Mum and Dad's dismay Horace ate himself one day. He didn't stop to say his grace, He just sat down and ate his face. "We can't have this!" his Dad declared, "If that lad's ate, he should have shared." But even as he spoke they saw Horace eating more and more: First his legs and then his thighs, His arms, his nose, his hair, his eyes... "Stop him someone!" Mother cried "Those eyeballs would be better fried!" But all too late, for they were gone, And he had started on his dong... "Oh! Foolish child!" the father mourns "You could have deep-fried that with prawns, Some parsley and some tartar sauce..." But H. was on his second course: His liver and his lights and lung, His ears, his neck, his chin, his tongue; "To think I raised him from the cot And now he's going to scoff the lot!" His Mother cried: "What shall we do? What's left won't even make a stew..." And as she wept, her son was seen To eat his head, his heart, his spleen. And there he lay: a boy no more, Just a stomach, on the floor... None the less, since it was his They ate it -- that's what haggis is.
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------------------ Adrienne Morgan Splash Signs "Wherever you go...there you are!" www.splashsigns.com "Rainkatt'on chat
Posts: 4868 | From: Port Angeles, Washington, USA | Registered: Sep 1999
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Debbie Delzell
unregistered
posted
Adrienne, I think I will have to let some else cook it before I try it. Then I may attempt it. But I do want the recipe to add to my Genealogy collection. Thanks!
------------------ Debbie Delzell
[This message has been edited by Debbie Delzell (edited August 11, 2001).]
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well I wish I could be there Steve, I love the whole Scottish/Celtic thing, it's in my blood. What I want to know is this: what's wrong with hairs on your chest, I've had them since 18 but I've never tried haggis.
------------------ Gray M. Hodge Cam River Signs Somerset, Tasmania.
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For those of us on the left coast.....the San Francisco Caledonian Club will be sponsoring the Games held , at the Alameda Fair Grounds in Pleasanton,labor day weekend Sept 1-2
For those of you who love Scottish folk music, Alex Beaton will be there all day Saturday (awsome!) http://www.caledonian.org/
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------------------ Adrienne Morgan Splash Signs "Wherever you go...there you are!" www.splashsigns.com "Rainkatt'on chat
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Ahemm, Sharon, Haggis will take the hair off of a man's chest.....All good SCOTS, will tell you, it takes a good man to grow hair on his chest....It takes a good Scot to wear it off...hehehe...Do you know why Scot's wear kilts.......sheep know the sound of a zipper.......Ahhh...Robbie Burn's should be on this post.......
------------------ "Of all the things I've lost in my life...I miss my mind the most" Ron Norwood 6732 Raleigh Street Vancouver, BC V5S 2X1 Phone/Fax: (604) 437-0899 email.hitest@mailcity.com
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Thanks for the post Steve. Even though I'm of Scottish ancestory, I'm afraid I'm a lot like Rosemary when it comes to Haggis. I'll let you have my share. Boiled sheep guts...YUK!
Who else besides Adrienne and Debbie is of Scottish descent? My 6th great grandfather, Isham Cadenhead immigrated here in the early 1700s. (Actually he jumped ship) His first son, James Caddenhead, was born in Pitt County, North Carolina in 1742. There are still some Caddenheads in this country, but most are still in Scotland. They are in the distilling business and I understand they make some excellent Scotch and Irish whiskey. I need to go there sometime and check that out
------------------ Jerry Mathel Jerry Mathel Signs Grants Pass, Oregon signs@grantspass.com
Posts: 916 | From: Grants Pass, OR USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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Jerry, My grandfather came here from Edinburgh as a wee lad. The poor man was raised in the Irish Channel in New Orleans. (You must understand the enmity of old between the Mcs and the Macs to fully understand) Last night I attended a lovely wedding in my hometown and the first thing I heard when I stepped out of the car was bagpipes! What a treat. During the reception I was introduced to him and really enjoyed the conversation. A good friend told him that he will pay him to play at my funeral in the event they both outlive me. I refuse to die, I will simply "croak."
------------------ Kathy Joiner River Road Graphics 41628 River Road Ponchatoula, La.70454 PH. (504)386-3313 casey@i-55.com
Old enough to know better...Too young to resist.
Posts: 1891 | From: Ponchatoula, LA | Registered: Nov 2000
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Scot here too (besides 56 other things) and the pipes actually bring me to tears EVERYtime.
My Grandfather used to play them when we visited him. We'd start pounding on the piano and he'd gently guide us to playing the scales until he could break out the pipes and play for us. I think he was great at distracting us from our determination to destroy every eardrum within the neighborhood and making us THINK we were doing something cool. We never really did get the hang of that piano, but we sure learned to appreciate the pipes.
Now the only time I hear them is at the elders' funerals ...and once they start up the tears start rolling out. It's the only time I really cry and turn into a complete mush bucket... it's not pretty.
...but neither was my first view of a Kilt in the Wind by one not quick enough at some local Scottish Gig. Pleasanton is way too windy at the end of August while I am the Hot Rod Nationals- I don't think I want to repeat that therapy again by going in Sept. :O
The Hienz 57 side of the Moon
------------------ The Moon aka: Stefenie Harris Moonlight Designs Pollock Pines, CA learnin' somethin' new every day!
Posts: 550 | From: Pollock Pines, CA, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Ah, sweet Lord, and I'm laughin' so hard I might be wettin' me panties soon. LOL and I needed this today:-)
Adrienne, when I got to the part about mixing everything with the "liguor" in which the stomachs were cooked, I realized that if we were to cook it with some Jack Daniels, it would give new flavor to the whole thing.
And hitest, as for sheep knowing the sound of a zipper, well then, you've never been to Perry County, PA. Yee haw!
------------------ Sharon Bigler A Good Sign Chambersburg, PA
Posts: 202 | From: Chambersburg, PA USA | Registered: Jul 2001
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Me great grandfather on me mother's side be Archibald Boag...from the banks of the Avon. We bow our heads when we hear the pipes whailing through the hills and heather.
Many people don't know that the bagpipe is not a Scottish invention. They were first made by the Poles in the 1300's...the poles were trying to make an accordian!
------------------ Chuck Churchill, It's A Good Sign Inc. 3245 Harvester Rd, U-12 Burlington, Ont. Phone: 905-681-8775 Fax: 905-681-8945
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Where yat Santo, No, I am not a yat. I was raised on the North Shore in Covington. Grandfather got out of the city as soon as he was old enough to go to work and moved accross the lake, met a German girl, married her and the rest is history. I still miss Covington and visit and do business there about 3 or 4 times a week. You are in REAL cajun country aren't you. I am discerning that you are NOT french with a name like Santo Brocato! Do they give you a hard time.hehehe Hope to meet ya someday.
------------------ Kathy Joiner River Road Graphics 41628 River Road Ponchatoula, La.70454 PH. (504)386-3313 casey@i-55.com
Old enough to know better...Too young to resist.
Posts: 1891 | From: Ponchatoula, LA | Registered: Nov 2000
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posted
Plenty of Scotch in me, Kathy, but it was administered one glass at a time. Mostly Italian, with a French/German grandmother. Raised in the Big Easy. Born on the East/raised on the West.
I think I will have to let some else cook it before I try it. Then I may attempt it. But I do want the recipe to add to my Genealogy collection.
Pleasanton is way too windy at the end of August while I am the Hot Rod Nationals- I don't think I want to repeat that therapy again by going in Sept. :O
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