Posts Tagged ‘Burns Night’
Culture vs. Congress: Overturn US ban on haggis!
Scottish officials are attempting to persuade American politicians to reverse a 40-year ban on the haggis.
Richard Lochhead, the Scottish Government’s Rural Affairs Secretary, has invited a delegation of American politicians to Scotland in the hope of persuading them to overturn the ban.
The iconic Scottish dish is been barred in the US for more than 20 years because its food safety department prohibits the use of sheep lungs in food products.
The US could provide a highly lucrative market for Scottish haggis producers, particularly in the run up to Burns Night, the traditional celebration of the life and poetry of Robert Burns…
Mr Lochhead said: “We want to capitalise on the diaspora of Scots in the US and many of them would enjoy the opportunity to indulge in authentic Scottish haggis to accompany their neeps and tatties on Burns Night.
“Scotland’s produce is amongst the best in the world and I’ve asked US Department of Agriculture officials to come here to see for themselves the high standards we have in animal health and processing.
This didn’t affect me personally – back when I lived in the Boston area. For all the whining of the Department of Agriculture and the other bureaucrats who march in lockstep against the import of traditional foodstuffs was meaningless when local butchers and meat markets produced their own haggis. I haven’t Googled it; but, I imagine I still could order one online for Burns Night.
This crap goes on and on – whether halting jambon from Spain or prosciutto from Italy, herbs and spices from the Caribbean and Africa, there always is a producer of plastic American food who claims the need for protection – or just good old Xenophobia getting in the way of choices.
US to relax haggis ban – finally!
The US government said it is planning to relax the ban on imported meats which prevents the sale of haggis.
The ban was introduced in 1989 because of concerns about the safety of British meat during the BSE scare.
On the eve of Burns night, the US Department of Agriculture said new regulations were being drafted, in line with international standards…
Jo MacSween, co-director of Macsween Haggis, said it would come as good news to expats and tourists.
“So they will be delighted that next time they come to visit they can not only take it back but hopefully manufacturers like us will actually start shipping it there too.”
Ms MacSween said sales of haggis were no longer confined to the Burns Night season in January.
The company has also diversified into products such as haggis nachos, she said.
Phew!
I’ve been able to order in frozen haggis from one of the butcher shops I used to frequent in Boston; so, I haven’t been entirely deprived. But, trying to convince my friendly neighborhood carniceria in New Mexico to produce this treat – even on a holiday season basis – is beyond possible.
