How do you put together a Burns supper?

[CDNSushi]

Spin-off from another thread. Go there if you want details on the history of why I created this thread. Suffice it to say, since the Burns Supper in Tokyo is just too pricey for my budget, many have given me the excellent suggestion of holding my own. I love the idea! But where do I start?

What's involved in putting together a Burns supper? I've never been to one. All's I know is that there's haggis (which I LOVE) and Burns poetry recitation. Aside from that, I'm pretty ignorant.

I've been thinking about whether this should be a closed event (for me and my friends) or an open one, where we would book a venue, offer out tickets to the community at large. I'm open to both options. A closed, private affair would be dead easy. My friends and I (usually around 12 of us or so) frequently hold themed parties at our house. Those are usually pot-luck and everyone brings something related to the theme... In fact, we're having a Swedish-themed party this Sunday, where we get to enjoy TONS of delicious Swedish treats -- everything from meatballs and Lingonberry jam to Spendrups beer and Aquavit, and have Swedish music going on while we sit on the IKEA furniture. (Yeah, stereotypical I know... But a lotta fun!) After that, (next in the themed party lineup, are: a Greek party, a Cinco de Mayo party)...

An open, community event would be interesting too. Only thing is, I would have to somehow take into account the Japanese factor. There would likely be many Japanese people in attendance (from personal experience with other events, I would guess about half the room) that would require translation and Japanese explanation of the proceedings. Not impossible but certainly something that I'd need to arrange well in advance. If I have an open event, I REALLY need to have my ducks in a row because there's of course the distinct possibility that I will people who are Scottish (and/or have attended Burns suppers before) attend, or even Japanese people who also have done so in the past. I wouldn't want to play the fool.

Anyway, aside from the specific regional/cultural things that I'll have to consider on my own, can anyone help put me on the right track to having a successful Burns night?

Please & thank you!

[McMurdo]

It may seem like a daunting task, however the most important part of a Burns Night is having a good time. Below is the program for our night this year. We have only done this once before, so we are still learning. There are some things that you should have for a Burns Dinner. In my opinion, the bare minimum would be the following

The night traditionally opens with
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.


The Address to a Haggis, with the pipes if possible
Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o' the pudding-race!
Aboon them a' yet tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy o'a grace
As lang's my arm.

The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdies like a distant hill,
Your pin was 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,
An' cut you up wi' ready sleight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like ony ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reekin', rich!

Then, horn for horn, they stretch an' strive:
Deil tak the hindmost! on they drive,
Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve
Are bent like drums;
Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive,
Bethankit! hums.

Is there that owre his French ragout
Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad make her spew
Wi' perfect sconner,
Looks down wi' sneering, scornfu' view
On sic a dinner?

Poor devil! see him owre his trash,
As feckles as wither'd rash,
His spindle shank, a guid whip-lash;
His nieve a nit;
Thro' blody 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 a blade,
He'll mak it whissle;
An' legs an' arms, an' hands will sned,
Like taps o' trissle.

Ye Pow'rs, wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o' fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware
That jaups in luggies;
But, if ye wish her gratefu' prayer
Gie her a haggis!


The Immortal Memory, normally done after dinner

The Toast to the Lasses

The Response from the Lasses

Auld Lang Syne
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne!

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!
And surely I'll be mine!
And we'll tak a cup o'kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
For auld, &c.

We twa hae run about the braes,
And pou'd the gowans fine;
But we've wander'd mony a weary fit,
Sin' auld lang syne.
For auld, &c.

We twa hae paidl'd in the burn,
Frae morning sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roar'd
Sin' auld lang syne.
For auld, &c.

And there's a hand, my trusty fere!
And gie's a hand o' thine!
And we'll tak a right gude-willie waught,
For auld lang syne.
For auld, &c.
And that is really all you need to do


Here is our program for this year


Here are some useful links
http://www.friendsofscotland.gov.uk/...ns-supper.html

http://www.robertburns.org/works/

I hope this helps

[Panache]

Glen summed up the basics nicely.

If you have a small group of friends interested in making this happen you just divide up the parts and go for it.

Burns Night Suppers can include many things dancing (which Burns himself loved), songs (which Burns collected and wrote lyrics for) My love is like the Red Red Rose and My Heart's in the Highlands are favorites, and any Burns piece someone would like to recite.

Three years ago the members of the Nor Cal Rabble decided (rather on the spur of the moment) to have our own Burns Night Supper. Most of us (including me) had never been to one before. We followed the basic outline Glen presented and did our best.

It was a an absolutely wonderful time.

One thing that I think is important is to remember that Robert Burns was a very witty, very funny, and rather dashing fellow. Your Burns Night Supper should be fun! Or as I have discussed with cajunscot (XMTS resident Burns and Burns night expert) "a Burns Night Supper should be one that Robert Burns would have wanted to attend himself".

They shouldn't be stiff, they should be joyous.

Most of all they should be about Burns and his work

I heartily encourage you to take the plunge*

It is worth it!

Cheers

Jamie

* It is addictive thouigh. I have just started planning next years' event. I already have someone to do the "Selkirk Grace" and "Immortal Memory", and I have a clever idea for the "Address of the Haggis" (Jake we need to talk...)

[thescot]

. . .
What's involved in putting together a Burns supper? I've never been to one. All's I know is that there's haggis (which I LOVE) and Burns poetry recitation. Aside from that, I'm pretty ignorant. . .

First off, go here: http://www.worldburnsclub.com/supper/burns_supper_1.htm

Then do a little internet noodling, make a plan, invite a few friends, and have a nice little private party.

Then, next year, get bigger and plan longer.

[thescot]

Make your own haggis. It's not hard if you'll compromise on the sheep's stomach and use a boiling bag. You don't eat the stomach anyway. The rest is just potatoes, turnips, chicken and leek soup.

And scotch!

[CDNSushi]

Make your own haggis. It's not hard if you'll compromise on the sheep's stomach and use a boiling bag. You don't eat the stomach anyway. The rest is just potatoes, turnips, chicken and leek soup.

And scotch!

Yes, that was going to be my next question. Scotch..? Nooooo problem. I can get just about anything I want here. In fact, I remember a few years ago on my birthday, on a lark I ordered a shot of the most expensive stuff they had, which ran me $25 for just 1 oz. (It was something from Royal Lochnagar)... Needless to say, I don't do THAT very often...

I know you can buy canned haggis but that would really defeat the whole purpose, IMO. I don't know how I would even begin to find a sheep's stomach btw...

Can anyone point me towards some haggis recipes that involve relatively "usual" components. Eg. I can't get sheep innards, lungs, etc... But I can easily get beef or pork livers, kidney, heart (probably NOT lung)... As for a boiling bag... Excuse the dumb question -- but what's a boiling bag and where do I get one?

Cheers, everyone.

BTW... THANK YOU!!!!! for the extremely helpful posts thus far. I'm looking through the links as they come up and the one on the world Burns club site was exceedingly detailed. Awesome.....

[BEEDEE]

Here's another link to a Burns Supper program.

http://www.auldlangsyne.org/itinerary.html

Brian

[pipe23]

http://www.geocities.com/Nashville/S...is_recipes.htm is just one I've found on the web, done in a cooking bag, and with many options. Knowing the Japanese
interest in bagpipes and kilts I think you may actually be able to procure it locally, though of course price may be excessive.

[CDNSushi]

http://www.geocities.com/Nashville/S...is_recipes.htm is just one I've found on the web, done in a cooking bag, and with many options. Knowing the Japanese
interest in bagpipes and kilts I think you may actually be able to procure it locally, though of course price may be excessive.

Lovely! Excellent link. I just about choked laughing when I read this:

Disclaimer: If you jam 5 dowels into a haggis it kinda resembles a bagpipe, but only if you jam 5 single malts into yourself first. There, that makes this article "bagpipe related"

[macwilkin]

All of the aforementioned web sites are good places to start; In addition, I would add:

http://www.macsween.co.uk/burns-nigh...-a-burnd-night

http://www.bbc.co.uk/robertburns/bur...ng_order.shtml

In addition, a copy of the late Hugh Douglas's Burns Supper Companion is a must for any organiser. I'm not sure if it's still print, but there may be copies on ebay, alibris, etc. Douglas was a noted Burnsian and his guidebook is highly recommended.

For entertainment, I would recomend a friend of mine's DVD (shameless plug):

www.robertburnslive.co.uk

I'll add some more thoughts later...

T.