Viewing a Burns Supper from the Kitchen

It is true what is said, that things can appear quite different when viewed from a more unusual angle.

As you may be aware Dougie (of the Whisky Boys fame) hosted The Whisky Boys Burn’s Supper last Saturday. What a fine sight it was to view the assembled men in all their finery. All six “stags” were turned out in their kilts and associated Scottish garb – potent stuff. I am not sure if other women are aware of the mystic effect a kilt has on men – particularly of the Scottish sort. The effects are quite slow to develop – the first thing to watch for is the slight swing of the kilt, which as the night goes on, gets wider. Then they adopt a distinctive confident stance and develop a swagger which progresses as the night goes on. After a little while you will become aware of an exaggerated inhalation of air and an expanding of the chest with an aura of pride which descends upon them.

As I watched this amazing primitive display, from the kitchen, I felt like Bill Oddie on Springwatch, the cloud of testosterone above the table was almost tangible.

You may have noticed that I mentioned “from the kitchen”. Yes the lovely Catherine and I, (who were supposed to be having a quite ladies get together in the lounge), became aware that not a lot of the food had been put on to cook, but our “brave hearts” had managed to pop a cork or two and were having a good old tasting. As we come from the sensible end of the species we went into automatic mode by organising the cooking of the meal.

MENU

• Cock a leekie soup
• Haggis, Tatties and Neep Towers  – With a Whisky Sauce
• Steak pie, Carrots, Peas and Tatties
• Selection of Cheeses & Oatcakes

Like in most crises, the women took charge, not jumping up and down, waving hands and gesturing that we are victims and why are we always left to sort things out, like the true troupers we are we just got on with it.

The soup was piping hot with lots of chunks of chicken and thick bits of leaks, the haggis, tatties and neeps were neatly stacked with a lake of delicious whisky sauce around them and the steak pie was luscious with a thick gravy around healthy pieces of steak topped by a crispy crust. This meal was finally topped off with a fine selection of cheeses, poetry and the singing of a few songs.

Cathie and I served the meal promptly and dutifully did all the dishes and to be quite honest this is not the way that the wife’s of the Whisky Boys expect to spend a Saturday night, but in the interests philanthropy we would not have missed it for the world. It was delightful to listen to the poems that were written so skillfully, so long ago and to hear, wafting through to the kitchen to tones of grown men singing Scottish songs – it made me feel even more proud to be a Scot.

So all in all, I can recommend viewing a Burns Supper from a kitchen.

Jacqueline