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Haggis: It’s Offal

May 03, 2020 12:00 AM
On a cool fall evening in the Scottish Highlands, a hoary drizzle herds you toward a warm, well-lit tavern. Once inside, you find a seat in a creaky wooden booth, and the server wanders over. He’s tall, red-headed, and wearing a kilt, of course. He asks you what you’re looking for. Comfort food, you tell him, to ward off the chill outside. With a broad Scottish brogue, the server tells you that what you’re looking for is haggis—a savory pudding drizzled with a whiskey-based sauce, served with “neeps and tatties,” or mashed turnips and potatoes. You order it. The server brings it to you. It’s simply delicious—one bite and you’re hooked. But what exactly is haggis? What is haggis? Haggis is offal—sheep’s offal, to be exact. Haggis is a traditional Scottish dish made of sheep “pluck,” or liver, heart, and lungs, mixed with suet (translated as raw, hard mutton fat found around the loins and kidneys), oats, and spices. It’s cooked in a sheep’s stomach—yes, the actual stomach, like a balloon—and usually served with a glass of whiskey. What does it taste like? Haggis is a distant cousin of meatloaf, but the comparison doesn’t do it a bit of justice. Imagine meatloaf, except superior in every way—softer, more flavorful, and a much better comfort food. That’s haggis. It’s best eaten on a particularly dreich day in Scotland, preferably near a castle in the Highlands, but you can substitute any old time and place just fine. Why is it banned in the US? In the 1970s, the USDA banned haggis because it contains sheep’s lung, an ingredient that could possibly contain dangerous microbes if not prepared properly. While the risk is low, mass meat manufacturing in the US makes the process more dangerous here than it is in Scotland. Many Scottish butchers are aware of the risk and take steps to make sure their sheep’s lung isn’t contaminated. Where can you get it around here? While you can’t get real traditional haggis in the US, you have a couple of options for a pretty good substitute. At the end of January, many Scottish clubs host a Burns supper, which often includes American haggis (i.e., haggis without the sheep’s lung). Here in Provo, the Utah Scottish Association holds a BYU Robert Burns Supper every January to commemorate the poet’s famous “Address to a Haggis.” If you can’t wait that long, you can always try out a recipe or two for your own homemade haggis!
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Try a Tradition! Taking a look at New Year’s traditions around the world

April 09, 0020 12:00 AM
New Year’s Eve is a classic holiday that is celebrated by most everyone around the world. In the United States, people gather to watch the ball drop in Times Square, eat lots of finger foods and fancy snacks, and kiss their special someone right at the stroke of midnight.
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European Hostels: Get Away for a While

May 22, 0019 12:00 AM
So you’ve always wanted to travel Europe, but unfortunately, you weren’t born into a trust fund. And while you appreciate living vicariously through your Instagram feed, you don’t just want to go to the Colosseum and the Tower of London and the Eiffel Tower; you want to see all of Europe—the lives and culture outside of the big cities. Well, you’re in luck! Here we’ve compiled some of the best hostels throughout Europe that can be jumping-off points for your vacation. These places will help you get away without giving up your budget or your dreams of exploring! So, get ready; after this, all you’ll need is a plane ticket!
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Castles on a Hill

November 25, 0017 12:00 AM
Stirling Castle (dun_deagh)Imagine a big, drowsy city like San Francisco or Seattle with clouds hovering low and rain. Imagine the mild seasons, the damp streets, and soggy foliage. Now imagine being able to see just beyond the horizon, the crumbling spires of ancient castles rising into the gray sky. This is what Scotland is like: a beautiful countryside filled with lovely, historical buildings and a long, rich history. Each of these castles tells their own little version of this history.
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The Carnegie Legacy

December 02, 0014 12:00 AM
Picture it. New York City. Tickets to a special concert at Carnegie Hall. You walk through the renovated main levels with a sense of awe for all the history breathing within this space. As always, the season lineup is varied—children’s concerts, local orchestras, and big-name performers. For its season opener in October 2014, the Berliner Philharmoniker will honor the hall.
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Heritage Hunting in the Highlands

December 11, 0013 12:00 AM
An angry clansman clad in highlander garb charged right at me. I was standing in the middle of the four-walled theater at Culloden Battlefield museum, watching a reenactment of the gruesome battle unfold before me. Jacobite clansmen beat their chests and rallied for their country. Then British soldiers annihilated the clansmen with cannons and other advanced weapons. I couldn’t help but feel a little emotional; after all, these actors were representing my ancestors who had fought in this battle for the rights to their native land.
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Scotland's Fringe Festival

August 30, 0013 12:00 AM
Alice had been in Wonderland for a short time when she exclaimed that it got “curiouser and curiouser” every moment. Wouldn’t it be fun to go on your own curious adventure? Well, if curious sights are what you’re after, check out the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
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Loch Lomond: "By Yon Bonnie Banks"

June 29, 0013 12:00 AM
Scotland can be a noisy place with its bagpipes and highland games, but this northern British country is also full of vast landscapes of calm and solitude. One destination in particular provides travelers with a Scottish experience that’s both peaceful and energetic.
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Mystic Isles: The Scottish Hebrides

August 29, 0012 12:00 AM
Twenty-year-old German composer Felix Mendelssohn is at sea more than 1,200 miles from home. The rough surf hisses and heaves, tossing the boat recklessly through the waves. Reaching what seems to be the edge of the world, he enters Fingal’s Cave on the coast of Staffa, a secluded Scottish island.
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Famous Streets: These Roads Are All the Rage

February 28, 0012 12:00 AM
Many big cities around the globe have world-famous streets that provide the culture and excitement you’re looking for, all in one location. Here are some of the most famous, exciting, and culture-infused streets in the world.
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Swearing at King Arthur

September 29, 0011 12:00 AM
According to the weatherman, I was experiencing gale-force winds and heavy sleet as I struggled to get to the top of Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh, Scotland. The hike might not normally appear that strenuous, but under these conditions, I was resisting the urge to just quit and hightail it back to shelter and hot chocolate. Considering I had already made fun of the four other girls I was with for not being able to handle the hike, I figured I should finish what I started: I persevered and conquered the mountain.
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