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As I understand it, whether neeps are swedes or turnips is one of those age old questions. When I've had neeps with haggis, they have always looked suspiciously yellowy-orange, which would mean swedes (turnips have white flesh). I've never yet had a haggis that didn't need a lot of gravy and mashed swede/turnip to be edible.

On my recent forays into Scottish history (the Borders, mid eighteenth century) I found that turnips, lintseed (for linen) and oats (and later potatoes) were the main crops. I've always understood that what I would call a swede a Scotsman would call a turnip.

I thought raw (presumably live) oysters were disgusting and swore never again to eat live anything,, or anything boiled alive.

Hello, Rosalind,
I suspect it is mostly swedes I have had with haggis.
Definitely tending toward orange.
But, I have never had gravy with haggis.
A lot of our fish and chip shops sell haggis and chips.
And very nice too!

I can understand that some people, particularly in England, do not like oysters.

Yes Rosalind, they are very much alive when eaten raw - if you were to eat a dead oyster uncooked, you would be immediately ill ; the best test is to squeeze a couple drops of lemon onto the oyster flesh, it should retract as a reaction to the bitterness of the lemon.

You either love them or you hate them - but the main thing is not to swallow them directly but chew them like any other food.

Chrise, oysters and champaign baked in oven are rather delicious, but I must admit that I prefer both of those delicacies separately.

Yes indeed, in Scotland swedes are called 'Neeps'. However there is really only one way to eat haggis and that's with 'Clapshot'. The Hairy Bikers have a good recipe here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/haggisclapshotandwhi_92144

Thanks for all the opinions.

I do recommend haggis with poached egg - wonderful combination. Poached egg is essential with black pudding, though!

I love black pudding, and like poached eggs but I never thought of eating them both together. Sounds great though.

New Year's resolution to try it, pigale!


Happy New Year, everyone!

Hi, Rusty!
I am not sure whether you are still about? or whether you will have gone out by now, maybe to join in New Year celebrations?
We have finally got the boys to bed! They were hoping to wait up till their Dad arrived, but he is still en route - heavy rain and busy traffic are not making the journey easy for him.
We have decided to order in an Indian curry for when he arrives - an easy option for all of us! and something we shall all enjoy!
I shall take this opportunity to wish you and your family A Very Happy New Year, as I don't know when I shall get the opportunity to use the computer tomorrow..... most probably not until late evening!
Meanwhile, enjoy the Hogmanay celebrations tonight and tomorrow......and all the best for 2016!

Hello, Elle!
I am still at home.
May possibly have first foots later so I have smartened me up a bit and am looking fairly kempt. We have snow forecast overnight.
Thank you for your best wishes and may I extend my very best wishes to you and your family for the New Year.

Hi Seamus
My Welsh relations, and particularly my father, were very partial to potatoes and swede mashed togther. It was called "pongin" (not sure about the spelling!)