We may not be able to ceilidh with loved ones until the early hours of the morning, but there’s still plenty of eating to be had this Burns Night.
There’s only one way to celebrate Scotland’s National Bard and that is with a big plateful of haggis, neeps and tatties.
And while we can’t all get together to address the haggis with friends, family and colleagues on January 25, that doesn’t mean we can’t have a celebration to mark the anniversary of Robert Burns’ birthday.
With plenty of businesses up and down the north of Scotland hosting live events online, there’s also a number of them offering Burns Night deliveries and creating bespoke Burns-inspired products.
2021 marks what would have been Rabbie’s 262nd birthday so to toast to his work that is still highly celebrated to this day, we’ve rounded up some delicious items we know you’ll enjoy tucking into for the occasion.
So let’s ensure we don’t let this special night go unmarked and raise a glass to The Bard with these fine Scottish products and dishes.
Burns Night In
Staying in is the new going out and Fife’s Fisher and Donaldson bakery is no stranger to this idea having launched their Burns Night In box specifically for the day itself. The box includes their delicious haggis, neeps and tatties, six handmade whisky Belgian truffles, two Burns biscuits, some famous Edinburgh tea and Irn-Bru.
It is £19.99 and is available in Fisher and Donaldson stores or from their online shop for delivery to the KY15, KY16 and DD1-DD6 postcodes on Burns Day.
Burns delivered
Many restaurants have taken to offering up their meals at home and churning out delivery boxes at record pace, and Burns’ night is no exception.
The Tayberry
The Tayberry in Broughty Ferry is one such restaurant that is offering up their fine fare for the Bard’s big day – but they only have a handful of meals still remaining which come served with their very own Clootie Dumpling gin.
Another Dundee-based business doing deliveries is Tempest Taste, which was only launched on January 16. Their grazing boxes, featuring cheeses, hams and fruit, will make the perfect accompaniment to any Burns Supper, or would even make a delicious lunch.
Online extravaganza
Bard-loving lads and lasses are in for a treat this year thanks to a new “augmented reality” Burns pack which beams a kilted host reciting the Address Tae A Haggis directly into their homes.
Launched by one of Scotland’s leading ready-meal brands McIntosh of Strathmore, more than 300,000 special AR Haggis Neeps & Tatties packs have arrived in Scottish supermarkets to help Scots celebrate Burns Night during lockdown.
Shoppers simply download the Zappar app on their smartphone, scan the code, and within seconds an actor leaps off the pack to deliver Rabbie Burns’ famous poem – turning their delicious McIntosh haggis meal into a fun Burns Supper experience.
The man tasked with delivering McIntosh’s virtual address is actor and Burns fan Max Raskin.
He was challenged to recite the poem in a single take, and also to interact with an array of animations that bring the “Address Tae a Haggis” to life and make the experience as entertaining as possible.
Cocktail creations
Anyone who is familiar with St Andrews’ amazing restaurant scene will know all about The Adamson and their fantastic cocktails. In fact, customers were missing them so much over lockdown that the business decided to start offering them up via home delivery. Here, they show us how to make their special Burns Night cocktail, which is included in their Burns Night meal box and can be ordered here.
Fife feast
The Burntisland Sands Hotel is also offering up its customer favourites to your door with their meal box, deliverable to your door if you live locally.
It’s a full three-course dinner, for £40 per person (minimum of two people) and available from January 22-25. Take a look at their website to see exactly what they are offering up here. It also comes with a printed copy of the Address Tae the Haggis and is delivered ready to eat.
Haggis, neeps and tatties pizza
Launched for Hogmanay, this stone-baked pizza from Marks & Spencer makes for the ultimate alternative on Burns night.
The tasty treat is topped with creamy bechamel sauce, mozzarella, crumbled haggis and completed with dices of roast potato and swede.
Priced at £4.25, you can also pick it up as part of the £10 meal deal which includes two pizzas and two sides.
Virtual Burns Night with Macsween
Third generation family firm Macsween which specialises in making haggis, veggie/vegan haggis and black pudding will host a virtual Burns Supper on Monday January 25.
The popular Scottish brand hopes to host the largest virtual Burns Supper to reach homes all across the globe.
Teaming up with one of Scotland’s best-known comedy actors Karen Dunbar, whose Tam o’ Shanter is renowned throughout the world, Macsween will celebrate the Bard of Ayrshire to ensure the old acquaintance will never be forgotten.
Dr Rachel Barrie, master blender for Benriach Distillery will also be joining the event which will take place on the Macsween’s Facebook page at 7pm.
James Macsween, managing director of Macsween, said: “Burns Night is a special time of year that combines haggis, whisky and poetry with lots of fun and laughter.
“We didn’t want anyone to miss out because of the times we live in. That’s why we are inviting people from across the world to join Macsween with Karen Dunbar, who is a standout favourite at Burns Suppers, and the trailblazing Master Blender Dr Rachel Barrie from Benriach distillery, to unite people from across the globe to celebrate Robert Burns’ life and work.
“We hope you can join us in what we hope will be the world’s largest virtual Burns Supper.”
Burns Night Supper box
With a haggis recipe dating back 110 years, Campbells Prime Meat has pulled together a box for all those foodies looking to celebrate Burns Night in style.
From smoked haddock fillets and Campbells and Glenfiddich smoked salmon for starter, to 1kg of haggis made with the secret family recipe and a 1.5kg of Scotch beef silverside, not to mention Blue Murder Highland Fine Cheese and a packet of Stockmans thick and thin oatcakes, this is a feat you and the whole family can enjoy at home.
The box is priced at £60 and can be purchased here.
Lidl’s vegan Burns meal
The supermarket chain has unveiled its very own McKinlay’s vegetarian haggis, neeps and tatties meal that is vegan certified. As more consumers look for delicious meat-free alternatives, the new addition joins Lidl’s growing range of vegan options for just £1.39.
You can pick up the meal at any of Lidl’s 104 Scottish stores where you’ll find more than 400 products from over 60 Scottish suppliers all year-round.
