And it Burns, Burns, Burns

Every year since his death, at the end of the 18th Century, suppers have been held in Burns’ honour on the day he was born, the 25th of January.

Traditionally, the Burns supper is a long and elaborate affair, full of formalities. These includes the host’s welcome, reciting the Selkirk Grace (using the Lallans Lowland Scots language) and the entry of the haggis to bagpipes.

Indeed, few dinner dishes are treated with as much respect as a haggis is on Burns night. Guests at the table must stand to welcome its arrival and when it is laid down the host or another member of the party will recite ‘The Address to the Haggis’. “An' cut you up wi' ready slicht,” the speaker will say before plunging a knife through the sheep's flesh. Everyone then gives a whisky toast... to the haggis and only then can they (finally) sit down and dig in.

The meat (a mixture of heart, liver and lungs) is usually served with mashed potatoes (tatties) and mashed neeps. This is followed by a traditional Scottish dessert like cranachan or Tipsy Laird, then oatcakes and cheese and all washed down with the 'water of life' (uisge beatha): Scotch whisky.

This evening, Scottish expats will be getting together for an informal Burns supper at Ma Nolens in Nice's old port. Niel Gow who, along with fellow Scots Janey and Jim Ritchie, has organised the evening, said, “We wanted to do something for Burns because it's historically a very important part of our national heritage. Robbie Burns is Scotland’s favourite son after all.” And being in the South of France, far from the Highlands, is not going to stop anyone from fully getting into the Burns spirit, as Gow points out proudly, “You can take the man out of Scotland but you can’t take Scotland out of the man.”