American English

Canned Scottish Haggis Hits America
Haggis—it’s a food that makes you smile or cringe. This large sausage-like dish, comprised of meat and oatmeal packed into a natural casing, is a Scottish staple, but can put off delicate American eaters because of the inclusion of innards, such as kidneys, liver, heart and lungs. Haggis has gotten a bad rap, according to Jim Walters, owner of Caledonian Kitchen (www. caledoniankitchen.com), a Texas-based company that makes canned haggis for the U.S. market. His mission: To create a canned version that reminds him of the haggis he enjoyed abroad. He's adjusted the traditional recipe to suit American’s tastes by using cows instead of sheep. Since the U.S.D.A. doesn't believe lungs are suitable for human consumption, Walters’ haggis is lung-free. The ingredients are gently cooked over a long period of time to deliver the proper consistency and blend of flavors. The canned haggis retails at $8.99, while the Presentation Haggis (already stuffed into the casing) goes for $74.99. The centerpiece at most Burns Night dinners, which honor the 18th century Scottish poet Robert Burns, haggis is no longer hard to come by.