January 25th is probably the next most important date in the Scots’ calendar after Hogmanay. So if you’ve never tasted haggis, or you just fancy taking a day off the diet, a Burns Supper is the perfect excuse

The Scottish tradition of the Burns Supper celebrates the life of the gregarious, romantic and sharp-tongued Ayrshire bard Robert Burns. Born on 25 January 1759 to farm labourers, Burns spent most of his life working the land and charming the ladies. But it was his passionate and beautiful songs and poems that granted the ‘Scottish Bard’ his immortality.

Today, Scots all over the world come together on Burns’ birthday to drink whisky, eat haggis, recite poetry and sing a few songs. Thankfully, the days when women were banned from Burns Suppers – and had to organise ‘lassies only’ events – are over, and many of the other ‘rules’ governing the supper can also be ignored. So, there’s nothing stopping you getting some friends around, opening a bottle of whisky and holding your own scaled-down Burns Night.

Bill o’ fare
The traditional Burns Supper can be divided up into three main sections:

• Food (including the Address to the Haggis)
• The ‘Immortal Memory’ (a speech, usually fun, witty and making some reference to Burns and his life and work)
• Various songs, readings and music to end the night

This traditional order of events is known as the Bill o’ Fare, which you should follow for a traditional Burns Supper.

As for dress, the top table are traditionally expected to be turned out in full evening wear (preferably Highland), although asking your guests to wear a bit of tartan is fine. Technically, you also need a bagpiper on hand to pipe in the haggis, but a fiddler will do if you can’t find a sober piper on 25th January (or you could just buy a CD of bagpipe or fiddle music), and don’t forget the couple of bottles of whisky.

Over the page: A Burns Supper step-by-step

Here’s a sample Bill o’ Fare to help you organise your own Burns Supper:

Over the page: Serving the food

Burns Supper, step by step

1. Once everyone is seated, grace is said. The usual choice is the ‘Selkirk Grace’, Burns’ own adaptation of the old Scots grace of the time.

The Selkirk Grace

Some hae meat and canna eat
And some wad eat that want it:
But we hae meat and we can eat,
And sae the Lord be thankit.

2. The first course is a soup, usually Cock-a-leekie or Cullen Skink.

3. Before the main course of Haggis with Champit Tatties and Bashed Neaps (mashed potatoes and turnips), there’s the Haggis Ceremony. This is arguably the best part of the night. Everyone stands, and the chef carries the haggis high on a platter from the kitchen, accompanied by a bagpiper (or fiddler). Everyone, including the piper, is poured a whisky and raises their glasses in a toast to the haggis, saying ‘Slainte mhath’, pronounced ‘slan-je va’ and meaning ‘your good health’. The host or a guest then reads the poem To a Haggis:

To a Haggis

Fair fa’ [good luck to] your honest, sonsie [jolly] face
Great Chieftain o’ the Puddin-race!
Aboon [Above] them a’ ye tak your place,
Painch [paunch], tripe, or thairm [intestines]:
Weel [Well] are ye wordy [worthy] o’ a grace
As lang’s [long as] my arm.

The groaning trencher [platter] there ye fill,
Your hurdies [buttocks] like a distant hill,
Your pin wad [would] help to mend a mill
In time o’ need,
While thro’ your pores the dews distil
Like amber bead.

His knife see Rustic-labour dight [cleaned],
An’ cut you up wi’ ready sleight,

[at this point, the speaker takes a large knife and slits open the haggis]

Trenching your gushing entrails bright
Like onie [any] ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reekin [steaming], rich!

Then, horn for horn [spoon] they stretch an’ strive,
Deil tak the hindmost [last], on they drive,
Till a’ their weel-swall’d kytes belyve [well-swelled bellies by-and-by]
Are bent like drums;
Then auld Guidman, maist [almost] like to rive [burst],
‘Bethankit’ hums [mutters ‘Thank God’].

Is there that owre [over] his French ragout,
Or olio that wad staw [would surfeit or stuff] a sow,
O fricassee wad mak her spew
Wi’ perfect sconner [disgust],
Looks down wi’ sneering, scornfu’ view
On sic [such] a dinner?

Poor devil! See him owed his trash,
As feckless as a wither’d rash,
His spindle shank [skinny leg] a guid [good] whip-lash,
His nieve [fist] a nit [nut];
Thro’ bluidy flood or field to dash,
O how unfit!

But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread;
Clap in his walie nieve [large fist] a blade,
He’ll mak it whissle [whistle];
An’ legs, an’ arms, an’ heads will sned [sever]
Like taps o’ thrissle [tops of thistles].

Ye Pow’rs wha mak mankind your care
And dish them out their bill o’ fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking [no thin] ware
That jaups in luggies [sloshes in bowls];
But if ye wish her gratefu’ prayer,
Gie [Give] her a haggis!

The company then drinks another toast, and the host serves out the haggis with the neaps and tatties.

Over the page: Dessert, wine, women and song

4. The traditional dessert is Typsy Laird (sherry trifle). Another popular pudding is Cranachan, a dish of oatmeal, fruit, cream and whisky served with shortbread.

5. The meal can be finished off with some Scottish cheeses such as Crowdie (low-fat soft cheese), Caboc (rennet-free soft cheese, rolled in oatmeal), Pentland Brie (yes, the Scots can make brie!) or the delicious Orkney Cheddar. These could be served with oatcakes or simply with some marmalade.

6. After the meal, the guest or an invited speaker makes the ‘Immortal Memory’ speech. This can be on any subject, but there should be some reference to Burns’ life or work. If you’re making the speech, it might help to refer to a collection of Burns’ works. At the end of the speech, everyone stands and drinks a toast to ‘the immortal memory of Robert Burns’.

7. After some music from the piper or fiddle (or CD player!), there’s usually the ‘Toast to the Lassies’, in which a male guest thanks the women of the house for preparing such a great feast. This speech assumes, of course, that a woman cooked the food, so these days the speaker can take whatever liberties they feel fit. Whoever is thanked then offers ‘The Reply’ - in thanks or defence - and the night ends with some singing, dancing and poetry recitals.

8. Finally, after a speech of thanks (they like their speeches, the Scottish), the group stands for ‘Auld Lang Syne’. The title translates as ‘Old Long Since’ meaning ‘for times gone by’ or ‘for days of long ago, and it’s famous throughout the world (including Scotland) as the song that everyone sings but nobody knows. So, to save you singing ‘la la la’ in the quiet bits, here are the full lyrics:

Auld Lang Syne

Should auld [old] acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne [for times gone by]

Chorus -
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.

And surely ye’ll be your pint stowp [tankard]!
And surely I’ll be mine!
And we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.

Chorus -

We twa hae [two have] run about the braes [hills],
And pou’d the gowans [pulled the yellow flowers] fine:But we’ve wander’d mony [many] a weary fitt [foot],Sin’ [Since] auld lang syne.

Chorus -

We twa hae paidl’d [paddled] in the burn
Frae [From] morning sun till dine [dinnertime]:
But seas between us braid [broad] hae roar’d
Sin’ auld lang syne.

Chorus -

And there’s a hand, my trusty fiere [friend]!
And gie’s [give me] a hand o’ thine!
And we’ll tak a right gude willie-waught [draught]
For auld lang syne.

Chorus -

Are you organising a Burns Supper? Need any help or advice? If so, try the Cooking Coach or post your query on the All About Food & Drink message board.