I thought it was time to make another shameless plug for my Banquet from Hell, a collection of foods from around the world that people consider delicacies, but which many people would rather die than eat. A sample below – click through for the entire list.

Haggis

“Fair fa’ your honest, sonsie face,
Great Chieftan o’ the pudding-race!
Aboon them a’ ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye worthy o’a grace
As lang’s ma airm.”
(Robert Burns)

Haggis

Haggis is the undisputed king of the Banquet from Hell. The fact that it’s composed of things that most people throw away, and cooked inside another thing that everyone throws away, tends to be off-putting.  But if you get to know this beautiful gift from heaven, you’ll thank fortune for the opportunity.Haggis is a blend of oats and sheep’s pluck – liver, heart, and – if you live in the UK – lungs, which are not legal to be used in the USA.  Plus onion, fat, spices, and salt.  While reminiscent of liverwurst in flavor (תודה רבה, Sol Bock!), it has a unique quality that grows on you.  In America it can be purchased in cans, in vegetarian versions (blasphemy!) or frozen, usually packed in a commercial sausage casing rather than the sheep’s stomach. I understand in the UK it’s a simple matter to get the real thing. Sigh.Wikipedia article on haggis

Take note that there are far more unspeakable things on people’s menus out there – things like Casu Marzu or Chinese Virgin Eggs – those are better left for other blogs. The line between unspeakable and delicious is a very hazy one, but this is my blog, so I get to make the distinction.

Gëzuar!

The Old Wolf has spoken.