Pat & Dick and others in New England…

If you are bored this weekend, my wife is playing the bagpipes at the Western Mass Highland Games in Greenfield MA. If you want some interesting music and food, come on up. I’ll be there filming the event for the group. I’ll buy at least one round… probably three! Here’s the info!


http://www.celticthunder1.com/

Thanks for the invite TJ, I will see if I can get some interest from the family.
Peace,
Dick

TJ,

Alas I am still enslaved by this unfinished house. However, soon, Maz and I are heading your way for a couple of cold ones and some tall tales.

Pat, I have a whole bunch of contractors that I can contact and get your house done in no time! What are you doing to it? Whatever you do, DON’T SELL!!

Let me know when you and Maz are coming this way. See if Dick can come out too. We can go to the same places as before OR, if you don’t want food, Hyland Brewery is right up the road and Mel can be the duty driver!

Dick, I have no idea if this will be fun or no, but it should be interesting. Ever try Haggis? They’ll have it there. Don’t know what Haggis is? Well, here ya go!

http://www.geo.ed.ac.uk/home/scotland/fooddrink.html

Haggis

Haggis is perhaps the best known Scottish delicacy, and it is wonderful stuff, with a rich flavour, although those partaking for the first time are often put off when they hear what it is made of...

Robert Burns said in his Address to the Haggis:

Fair fa' yer honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o' the pudden race!

Haggis is made from sheep's offal (or pluck). The windpipe, lungs, heart and liver of the sheep are boiled and then minced. This is mixed with beef suet and lightly toasted oatmeal. This mixture is placed inside the sheep's stomach, which is sewn closed. The resulting haggis is traditionally cooked by further boiling (for up to three hours) although the part-cooked haggis can be cooked in the oven which prevents the risk of bursting and spoiling.

Now that's GOOOOOOOD EATIN'

TJ,

Two new bathrooms, remodel the kitchen, all new windows, exterior and interior doors, refinish all the wood work, new tile, vinyl and carpet on all the upstairs floors.

Then there is the painting in and out etc. We are almost there.

Don't tell my Duncan lassie this is going on. She'd kill me! I used to live near Greenfield many moons ago. Nice area, but it has grown since the 70s.

As, for the Haggis, I'll stick to oatmeal washed down with single malt!

Thanks for the offer!

I can bring the single malt and a nice cigar if you enjoy them! I can't believe you're turning down an opportunity to enjoy haggis!

Haggis ... excuse me, I think I'm gonna have ta puke now ...

quote:

Originally posted by disagreed:
.....my wife is playing the bagpipes at the Western Mass Highland Games in Greenfield MA.

Does she play in the CG Pipe Band?

No, she plays in a local group here in central Mass. Maybe if she gets good enough, she’ll look into the CG band.

Haggis? Probably the single greatest reason the English conquered the Scotts. Robert the Bruce sold out William Wallace because he was promised the the English would outlaw haggis.

Well, that's what they were saying on the streets.

Pat, but you gotta try foods from different cultures! I am kind of like Andrew Zimmern of 'Bizarre Foods'. You experience a heck of a lot more of a culture when you are not afraid to try all their foods! I’ll try it… knowing that I can always throw it away!

Or up!

Hey TJ,
Doesn't look good for the Driscoll's getting out to Greenfield. We have swim meets, adult social, and tennis matches all weekend.
Have a blast at the festival!
Peace,
Dick

No problem Dick. I just have to eat your portion of haggis... and wash it down with your beers!

A sheep's belly does not constitute a "culture". However, I found out when I got a job offer to Aberdeen (Scotland, not Maryland) a few months ago, that they sell it frozen in the groceries there.

Like that was gonna be a big plus to take the project ...

Soc, frozen Haggis should have made that decisions for you! Was it on a stick or wrapped?

In my travels I made it a point to try the food of other nations. So far, this has proven an excellent choice. This weekend, however, might well be another case!

I'll try it. I'll give it a chance. Chances are that it tastes good and I'll learn how to make it. Then, when Pat comes over for a brew, he can enjoy it, too!

Dis you are a far better man than I ... I didn't go to Scotland ... wife wouldn't let me go. I woulda been on a plane in a second, if she had let me.

Soc, my wife wants me to take her over there! We just celebrated our 28th anniversary so maybe I'll take her on our 30th. I still don't believe that a lady as classy as my wife has stuck with me for 28 years.

When we go, do you want me to buy some frozen haggis and send it to you with some dry ice? You know I'll do it!

Haggis… I have definitely eaten worse! I mean, I wouldn’t drive three feet out of my way to get to a drive-thru haggis stand, but I didn’t throw up. The liver is probably the distinguishing taste. Overall, it isn’t bad but I didn’t eat a second helping!