50 pounds of Haggis, that I picked from custom haggis maker Bruce Roane this morning.  It is now delivered to Floata Restaurant in Vancouver Chinatown where it will be readied and served with for sweet ‘n’sour sauce and/or BBQ plum sauce, for Sunday’s Gung Haggis Fat Choy St. Patrick’s Weekend Dinner.  And it is going to be served both traditional style, and also transformed into Chinese dim sum appetizers!

For 2014, we are featuring Bruce Roane’s custom haggis.  You won’t find it easily anywhere.  You have to track Bruce down… and custom order – if you want some of the best haggis around.

Back in 2009, I was attending a reception at the Scottish Parliament Buildings, for the final event of 2009 Year of Homecoming.  My friend Harry McGrath who had organized the exhibit “This is Who We Are” which featured a life size picture of me, was just about to introduce me to the First Minister Alex Salmond, who earlier that day had just helped to re-open the renovated and reimagined Robert Burns Cottage, down in Alloway, Ayrshire County.  But a pretty blonde woman, burst into the line up, saying “Excuse me, but I have to meet you.  My uncle makes the best haggis in Vancouver, and you have to meet him for your Gung Haggis Fat Choy event.”

Well… I admit that I didn’t use Bruce Roane’s haggis for the 2010 Gung Haggis Fat Choy Dinner.

But at the 2010 BC Highland Games, I had a booth for Gung Haggis Fat Choy.  And a pretty blonde woman came up my booth and said “Hi, remember me, we met in Scotland.”

In the past years, I have eaten Bruce Roane’s haggis at Burns Suppers for the Robert Burns Society of Vancouver, and the JP Fell Pipe Band.  With my friends, and many people, there are lively discussions on the quality of the haggis.  Some people love a Peter Black haggis, which we have used for the past 10 years.  Some people “dinna like it”.  Some people love a Bruce Roane haggis – others “dinna like it, either”.

My opinion: It’s a good haggis, and I like it.  And it’s going to be served at the 2014 Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New Year St. Patrick’s Day Dinner on March 16th.

And it is going to be magically transformed into tasty deep-fried haggis won ton, and delicately prepared haggis dim sum…  and people will rave to their friends, “Wow – you have to taste this!”

Also on the menu will be: Chinese pan-fried turnip cake (low-bak-goh) and steamed haggis & pork dumplings (siu-mei), served alongside spicy jelly fish.