Month: July 2025

Recently, I learned that true haggis is banned in the US. This is due to a law that makes the sale of lungs for consumption illegal. Haggis is traditionally made from a sheep’s heart, liver, and lungs, meaning that all haggis sold in America only has the heart and liver. After learning this, I was grateful that my trip to the UK included visiting a farm to experience making and eating haggis.

Some tourists believe that haggis is a small mammal, but this is false. Haggis is made from sheep, more specifically the boiled heart, liver, and lungs. These organs are ground up with an onion, mixed with oats and spices, and boiled again inside of a sheep’s stomach. As Ben Johnson says in Haggis, national dish of Scotland, the origins of this meal have been lost to time. Some claim that it was made by old Scottish women as a meal for their husbands to have on the road to the market. It could also be that it was used to preserve the offal from a kill, as organs spoil rapidly. The man leading our experience mentioned that haggis could have come to Scotland from the Vikings of Scandinavia.

No matter how haggis found its way to Scotland, it has come to be seen as a symbol of Scottish pride. Haggis was important due to the nutrition it provided. By using offal that would otherwise spoil, it provided valuable protein. It also contained fiber from the oats, fat from the added fat, as well as many vitamins and minerals, such as iron, that people back then needed to survive. Our experience leader told us that Rabbie Burns, who is considered Scotland’s greatest poet, wrote the poem Address to a Haggis about the dish, which helped cement it in the hearts of the Scottish people.

Compared to the Scottish people, who mostly love haggis, I was hopeful about it but prepared to not like it. Offal isn’t common in America, but it is seen in Indonesia. I’ve even had certain kinds of offal, such as pork rinds, beef tongue, and a few types of liver. However, I could tell that the Scottish people were much more enthusiastic about offal than I was, as I had seen haggis in every store and on every menu since arriving in Scotland.

Making haggis was quite simple. After grinding the offal and onion, we mixed in oats, fat, and spices, before shoving the mix into a sheep’s stomach to boil. We were then served a finished haggis with neeps and tatties. The haggis was dry and a bit grainy, with a warm, meaty taste. It tasted vaguely like black pudding. Even though I tend to dislike grainy foods, I did like the taste, but it could have used some hot sauce. Overall, I liked it, though some members of our group definitely did not.

I feel like I had a similar experience to a Scottish person who was having haggis for the first time. Not only did I try the haggis, but I was one of two people who volunteered to help make it, so I got the full experience. As someone who has had offal multiple times before, haggis wasn’t too abnormal to me, and I assume that Scottishpeople would also be used to offal. There is, however, one major difference between me and a Scottish person eating haggis for the first time, and that is the fact that I have no cultural ties to haggis, while this is the national dish of Scotland. There might be a sense of national pride for a Scottish person, maybe even a slight sense of pressure to like haggis, but not for me.

I would definitely have haggis again, but maybe I’d experiment with it a bit. After all, this is an integral part of Scottish culture. I overheard another member of my class mention a haggis quesadilla and it sounded pretty good. Maybe I’ll make it again, but use different ingredients, granting me a deeper understanding of the complexities of this central piece of Scotland. It really wasn’t that different from ground beef. Maybe that would be a possible way to market it in the States. After all, more Americans need to understand that offal really isn’t awful.

I would be lying if I said that haggis was not looming over me throughout my trip to the UK. The dish is inherently unappetizing to Americans, as offal, or organ meat, is often looked down on as… awful. However, offal is commonly consumed across the world and is seen by many as a delicacy. This is in part due to its more perishable status than muscle meat, as well as the limited amount of organs per animal. According to Gastropod co-hosts Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley, there was even a historical, hilariously misguided belief that eating the brain would increase intelligence, the heart, courage, and the testicles… well, you get the idea. Regardless, haggis has risen to become offal’s poster child, as well as Scotland’s national dish. Yet, the origin of haggis remains unclear, with the current belief being that it comes from Scandinavia. As we were informed at the Haggis Experience, the concept of boiling offal within an animal’s entrails is not unique, seen in many countries and cultures. Regardless, in the modern day, haggis has been undeniably claimed by Scotland. I found it on the menu of almost every single restaurant I visited in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Although I was tempted to try it many times, I decided to hold out for this final big class experience.

In a poll conducted by haggis manufacturer Hall’s of Broxburn, a third of Americans believed that the haggis is a real animal. Rather than clearing this up, Scots instead take immense delight in further fueling this ridiculous misconception, coming up with many false tales about the wild haggis. Our guide through the Haggis Experience, Seamus, was no different. His humor was greatly appreciated as we began preparing the meal. Although it is normally easy to eat cleanly prepared meat and conveniently ignore its gruesome origins, I did not get that same luxury at the Haggis Experience. We were first shown the pluck, the sheep’s connected heart, liver and lungs. The pluck was then chopped up and grounded up alongside an onion, before being stuffed inside a cow’s stomach. However, this stomach is not for consumption, only a vessel to boil the meat within. In fact, many no longer use stomachs at all, but synthetic casings that are easier to mass-produce. Although offal usually spoils quickly, the process of boiling haggis allows it to be preserved for much longer. Thrown into the mix were also oats, salt, white pepper, mace, and even garam masala, adding an unexpected Indian flair. These were the ingredients included in this particular recipe, but it is worth noting there is no singular correct recipe for haggis. In fact, according to Seamus, many haggis recipes are closely guarded secrets saved for competitions.

It was the moment of truth, and surprisingly, the most unappealing portion of the plate was not the haggis. It was the neeps and tatties. The mashed potatoes and mashed swede, a close relative of the turnip, are often served alongside haggis. However, our dish instead had the swede substituted for sweet potato… my least favorite food. Period. However, if I was going to give haggis an honest try, I was certainly not going to let this unwelcome intruder stop me now. Biting into the haggis, I found the taste itself surprisingly familiar. It was the same dry, salty, inoffensive taste of the black pudding I had tried back during our full English breakfast. Both contain a high amount of iron, where the similar flavor likely originates. Visually, the meat was ground up enough that it was equally inoffensive. Throwing some whiskey sauce on top provided much-needed moisture, although this practice has only become popular within the last 30 years. In the end, I cleaned the plate… yes, I even finished the sweet potato. After finishing the meal, we were rewarded with another Scottish staple for dessert, cranachan, a delightful mix of raspberries and cream.

In the end, the experience was nothing wild, even for someone as squeamish as me, barely able to get through the dissections back in biology class. In reality, the graphic images my mind had been conjuring up throughout the trip were all unrealistic exaggerations. There was nothing more inherently violent about haggis than the butchering and slaughtering needed for the preparation of any cut of meat. So, as with many things in life, the difference is entirely perspective. After all, is drinking the milk of another animal really any less weird when you stop to think about it? Yet, the staggering impact of dairy goes without saying. It just so happens that offal currently has an awful reputation in the United States. It’s about time it got some good PR. Setting biases aside, offal can be prepared to be just as appetizing and appealing as any other food when done properly. Haggis isn’t a food to point and laugh at, but a lesson to be learned, a lesson Scotland is teaching us by pointing and laughing at us. Offal is the way of the future, not the past. So, maybe next time, chopped liver doesn’t have to be… chopped liver.

Salt, lemon, potato, haddock, bread. The most heavenly food a man could ask for.

The last time I visited Scotland in the winter of 2023-2024 I ate fish and chips at every single opportunity I could get. Fish, especially white fish, is my favorite meat. And I eat potatoes with every meal, it’s a match made in heaven.

Yet this time, I made myself wait. I knew I had to write this blog, so I couldn’t just dive straight into the meal. I needed to build the want, the need, so that that first bite would be absolute perfection.

I woke up at 8am on the 12th of July ready. I could feel the fish ahead of me, calling to me. I had forgotten to do the readings about the history of fish and chips, so I read it then.

Fish and chips originated as a working class meal in the late 1800s. Poorer Britons would eat it once a week for a couple reasons. One reason was that it meant that the wives/women didn’t have to cook a meal that day, as you bought it from a fish and chips shop. They’d send off the kids, and they’d have a free evening to relax or accomplish work they hadn’t yet. Another reason was that it was a great source of protein and essential minerals such as omegas which, according to Professor Schen, are found aplenty in cold white fish. And the chips were full of fiber and minerals, with the minerals mostly concentrated in the skin.

Interestingly, this meal, as it was originally from the poor, was looked down upon by the aristocracy. They rejected the meal, but eventually succumbed to it, as who can resist fish and potatoes?

I finished the reading, a hunger growing within me. On the one and a half hour bus ride to Anstruther, I felt my stomach clawing at me. A side effect of not having eaten breakfast. I stepped off the bus, ready to rush to my meal, only to remember we had to visit the Scottish Fisheries Museum beforehand.

It was an interesting museum, as it told the history of the fishing industry in Scotland. I particularly appreciated the early sections discussing the making of dugout canoes, as I find old ships and ways of travel fascinating. But throughout the tour all I could think of was the fish. How flaky would the breading be, would it be oversalted, would there be a proper fish to chips ratio? These are the questions that haunted the mind of a starved man.

We finished the tour, and walked down the street to Anstruther Fish Bar, an award winning restaurant that served fish and chips. I ordered one and sat down, my stomach growling. The seconds turned to minutes, minutes to hours. Eventually it came out, the beautiful brown and gold. My mouth watered as our waitress placed the food in front of me.

I took the lemon and drizzled it on the fish, and I took a bite. Heaven indeed.

It was a chilly morning as we loaded up the van and headed to Anstruther Village. I could not remember if (or when) I had had fish and chips before, so I was not exactly sure what I was getting myself into.

When we first got to Anstruther, we visited the Scottish Fisheries Museum. My favorite exhibit was not about boats – or fish – but rather, the exhibit about how the Scottish shoreline has become a safe haven for many, especially during the pandemic. At home, I have not been to many museums where you have to go through them in a specific order (like this one), and I appreciated the obvious care toward how this one was put together. While many of the museums we have been to have clearly been attempting to educate, they do so in a way that makes it accessible for everyone, regardless of age, and this museum was no exception.

According to John Walton, the history of Fish and Chips dates all the way back to the 1930s when it began to be considered a positive part of the working class’s diet, despite the fact that many people felt suspicious about it. In addition, fish and chips started out as a meal that was only accessible a  couple of times per week, but became more accessible as time went on. Part of the reason fish and chips has become so popular is due to the fact that the single meal offers many nutritional benefits. Obviously, the fish itself has a lot of protein, but the dish also provides the consumer with a variety of vitamins, iron, calcium and fiber. Walking up to the restaurant, you could smell the mix of flavors, and I personally enjoyed the meal, despite the fact that it was – once again – too much food for me. It was a very filling dish, and I got to enjoy it at an award winning restaurant. Anstruther itself, situated along the Firth of Forth in the North Sea, and known for its long history of fishing and boats, was very pleasant, even considering the fact that it was extremely foggy. After our meal, we had the opportunity to explore, and I ended up wandering and sitting along the water for a majority of the time, chatting with, and enjoying the company of friends. 

It makes sense why this food is so popular in areas along the water, but it was especially interesting to learn about the history of this dish, and the reasons behind the popularity of this dish in regards to the middle-class in various times throughout history.

Edinburgh, Scotland is proud of its heritage and tradition, and whisky is engrained in its rich history. Whisky has become such a tradition that every variety of the beverage can be found in pubs, along the Royal Mile, and even in the Edinburgh Castle. Despite having Scottish heritage, I had never had whisky and was nervous to partake. Our class had the opportunity to educate ourselves in the Scottish delicacy through the Whisky Tasting Experience. 

            The Experience was filled with special effects, educating its tourists through the spirits of Whisky. We gathered into a room that showed the beauty of the rainy Scottish countryside before the Spirit of Whisky shared information among us. According to the Spirit, which came to us as a disembodied voice, whisky has been vital to Scotland since the late 15^th century. Individuals often drank alcoholic beverages to avoid unclean water. The fermentation and boiling of the whisky caused dangerous bacteria to be eliminated from the beverage. In fact, Whisky became so important that its Gaelic term is “uisce baeatha”, translating to “water of life.”

            Whisky undergoes a complicated process to become Scotland’s favorite alcoholic beverage. According to Ella, our tour guide and communicator to the Whisky Spirits, finding a reliable water source is the first step to making whisky. The presentation specifically highlighted underground aquafers, but rivers can also be used. Then, barley is harvested, molted, and steeped in water and place on a special floor until it germinates. Once germinated, the molted barley is dried using wood or peat. Peat is compressed organic matter that generates a smokier taste. The dried substance is then soaked in water again, turning it into wart. The wart is then mixed with yeast, creating wash and turning the wart into alcohol. The wash is ten boiled several times, distilling the alcohol from the water, and storing the alcohol in a cask. The whisky has to stay in the cask for at least three years for it to be a Scottish whisky. However, several companies store their alcohol in casts for much longer. 

Currently, five separate regions of Scotland make their own distinct flavors of Whisky. These include the Lowlands, the Highlands, Speyside, Islay, and Campbeltown. Our class learned about these regions through a spectacular video presentation filled with special effects. The first region that was presented as the Lowlands. The video highlighted both Glasgow and Edinburgh, two of the Scottish cities we are visiting while on our TREK. The Lowlands whisky contains a citrusy and sweeter taste. Inversely, Islay whiskey, shown as a vibrant maritime area, is smokey and has some powerful kick. Highland whisky utilizes the flavors of the grasslands, using heather and other aromatic matter to provide its distinct taste. I personally enjoyed zooming over the highlands and seeing the fields of heather and sheep. Speyside whisky also uses sweeter ingredients to provide its beverages with a fruity smell. Its home to a third of Scotland’s whisky distilleries and uses the River Spey as its vital lifeblood. The smallest whisky region was Campbeltown, which proudly produces its vanilla taste from its three remaining distilleries. 

I selected the Campbeltown Whisky due to its vanilla base. I have always been a vanilla enjoyer, so I expected the drink to be not as fiery. However, when I took a sip, my tongue and throat instantly felt hot. The punch of heat transformed into a burn that had a hint of vanilla, creating a warm tingling sensation in my mouth. The flavor took several minutes to subside before my mouth returned to normal. While I waited to overcome the strong taste, I toured the whisky collection that surrounded the tour members. Jaden and Jack were especially excited to show a bottle shaped in a golf ball that hailed from the birthplace of golf, Saint Andrews.

After our tasting, I felt enlightened about the importance of whisky in Scotland. The extravagant displays of the experience provided visual aids to my whisky exploration. In fact, I was able to compare the information shared by the Spirits of Whisky to my knowledge of barbeque. Similarly to whisky, various barbeque techniques are regionally based. For an example, the Carolinas are famous for their vinegar-based sauces. Moreover, Texas is well-known for their dry rub barbecue, producing a smokey taste and texture. In Scotland, whiskies are all regionally based, using elements of the environment to create distinct flavors. Although I felt that the whisky was too strong for my liking, I was able to connect with the Scottish heritage and pride that flowed from the beverage. 

Tears stream down my face. “Who’s cutting onions?” asks Andrew.

We were at Monisha Bharadwaj’s house. Upon arrival I saw how pretty it was, with a beautiful garden with a pond in the front. The interior was covered in art from India, and the place smelled of spices. Despite the charm, I was a little uneasy about the upcoming lesson. We had to cook Indian food, and I’m not good at cooking. I also worried, as my friend Manav’s food was always really spicy, and I couldn’t handle it.

She sat us down around the table. Before we were to work, she wanted to explain to us some of the key differences between what we’d be making, and Indian food in the UK. 

According to her, Indian food in the UK is a very different cuisine, known as British Indian Restaurant cuisine (BIR). It had originated when Bengali sailors, forced to work on British ships, had gotten stuck in the UK. When they built businesses they needed to attract Englishmen. They created a system known as hot-hotter-hottest, in order to make the food more appealing. This made the food seem challenging, and drunk Brits would push their spice limits. They even began to use curry powder, which was a random hodgepodge of spices, rather than the purposeful use of spices in India. Certain dishes became famous. Such as vindaloo, which isn’t something one would find in India, or the name Chicken Tikka Masala, which, technically, could refer to hundreds of dishes in India, but Brits use it to refer to a single dish.

Real Indian food, she explained, needed three things only, carbs, proteins, and fibers. The reason for this, that I could glean, was that it was extremely healthy. People could eat this twice a day and live perfectly healthy lives. For example, we made five easy recipes. I’ll list three, Pulau, the rice, Chana Masala, which had chickpeas, Murgh ka Korma, which had chicken and cashews. With those three you have the carbs from all three, the fiber from all three, and proteins in Chana Masala and Murgh ka Korma. A perfect meal.

The cooking itself was quite quick and easy, except for the onions, which burned my eyes the entire time. It was just a simple process of being patient and knowing how and when to use the spices.

Upon completing the cooking, we sat down to eat. I took a bite. The chicken tasted good, I particularly noticed the cumin, so I swallowed it. Taking a bite of the chickpeas, I wasn’t a big fan. The sauce just wasn’t for me, which was interesting, as it was made with mostly the same ingredients as the chicken. I enjoyed the peas and the rice a lot, with the peas still being rather sweet. In fact, I was surprised at just how much flavor was in the food. Mostly when I have spice, all I feel is heat, but the heat seemed to be more complementary, then overwhelming.

Overall, it was an interesting experience, and one I would recommend anyone try. And besides, you get a cookbook at the end to replicate the recipes for yourself.

When going into our local pub for Sunday Roast, I did not really know what to expect. I was surprised, however, that it almost felt like Thanksgiving – consisting of potatoes, chicken (a personal choice instead of the lamb or beef), vegetables, stuffing, and of course, Yorkshire Pudding. The pub itself was very cozy, as well. When we got there, we were able to find a quiet spot on the second floor, where we got to socialize (and, coincidentally, enjoy some American 80s hits!) with one another while waiting for – and then eating our food together. 

Obviously, as with anything, the Sunday roast has changed greatly over time. Dating back to 1485 (Elaine Lumm; The Spruce Eats), it was originally meant as lunch (“dinner” as it was called) on Sundays, and any leftovers were taken to work with the men over the week. This is also why folktales about encouraging kids to eat the Yorkshire pudding first – so the vikings would not come and take it – began. Another thing that has changed over time is the size of the plate. The diameter of the plate has grown one inch, which – in turn – has allowed the amount of food on the plate to expand, as well. Sunday roast was originally seen as one of the only (if not the singular) proper meals someone would have during a week, allowing for people to access a variety of vitamins, protein (which mainly came from the meat), and fiber, in addition to carbs from the potatoes, and is now seen as more of a social event, which is exactly how I had it. Historically, it makes sense why a Sunday Roast consists of so much food, but as someone who already does not eat a big lunch, I found it to be overly filling.

Now for the food. I personally opted for the chicken, despite the fact that it was one of the less “traditional” options. Along with the chicken, my plate came with  vegetables, stuffing, duck fat potatoes, and Yorkshire Pudding. Of these items, the only thing that was really new to me was the pudding, so I was surprised as to the fact that it was more of a solid, than the creamier texture I am used to. The other thing that was somewhat new to me was the potatoes. Of course I have had potatoes before, but I had never heard of duck fat potatoes. I decided to try them – despite being unsure – and I was pleasantly surprised as to how much I enjoyed them. While I enjoyed all the food, the stuffing was my favorite part, although that is not uncommon. My least favorite part, shockingly, was the vegetables. I do not know whether I am just used to vegetables that are prepared differently, but I simply did not enjoy them very much.

Regardless of the fact that it felt like too much food for me, I enjoyed the Sunday Roast experience. It feels like an important history to British people and culture, and I am grateful I got to learn about – and enjoy it – with friends.

I don’t like eating breakfast. I like traditional breakfast foods, but eating them in the morning is a different story. Waking up is bad enough, but having to eat a full meal before my brain is ready to process anything? No way. However, I signed up to go on a Trek to the UK and eat a Full English Breakfast at 8AM.

Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against people who enjoy eating the full English Breakfast. It’s a meal with a rich history, dating back to medieval times. In “Edible Histories: The Full English Breakfast,” Mark Riddaway reports that back then, an English Breakfast consisted of bread and porridge accompanied by ale. A cheap meal to fuel a worker for the day. Fast forward a while, the industrial revolution allowed commoners to emulate the rich by adding eggs, bacon, and sausage to their breakfasts. Riddaway adds that items such as baked beans and fried potatoes were only included at breakfast once rationing due to the World Wars had ended. The meal I ate consisted of eggs, bacon, sausage, beans, black pudding, mushrooms, tomatoes, hash browns, and toast. It had proteins, fats, carbs, fiber, and a plethora of vitamins and minerals. A huge meal covering every nutrient needed for the day ahead.

Still a bit tired, I started by picking at the fried eggs. Interestingly, the runny yolks were orange, while American eggs have yellow yolks. The taste wasn’t too different, so I moved to the bacon, which was nice and salty. At this point, I finally felt awake, having woken up early so that I would feel awake while eating. Next, I tried the hash browns, which were crispy the whole way through, making them a bit dry. I then tried the sausage, which tasted a bit too sweet for me, reminiscent of a breakfast sausage patty.

Now, remaining on the plate were five foods. I moved the mushrooms and tomatoes to the side, as I had no intention of eating them. This left me with black pudding, beans, and toast. Blood has never been something I’ve felt squeamish about, so I tried the black pudding, which tasted like a salty and dry American hotdog. What I didn’t want to try was the beans on toast. Did I have to eat them together? No. Would I be missing out on the full experience if I ate them separately? Yes. So I ate the beans on the toast and discovered that, after not having baked beans since elementary school, I now hated the sweet and mushy beans.

This wrapped up the meal for me. After eating, I did not consider eating again until around 2PM, as it was very filling. While I ended up enjoying this breakfast, I do not think I would have it again. This is mostly because I had to wake myself up extra early to be able to eat it, however this was a fun experience, as I had done it with friends.