We get together with friends Teena, Phillippe, Gina and Hot Dog quite often (a bit too often for Hot Dog the unsociable creature that he is). And as fate often works in mysterious ways, Teena had come across a butcher that sold Haggis. None of us had tried it although I do have memories of being in Primary School and having a “bring your own plate from your culture” day. My best friend then was Scottish and she brought Haggis. She had it cooking away, the aroma making us all hungry and lining up for a piece. Until she told us what was in it. The line of kids couldn’t have disappeared more quickly. And even I am ashamed to admit I abandoned my friend food-wise and I couldn’t bring myself to eat it.
Now that I am a more adventurous eater, I lament the lost opportunity. But Teena’s suggestion allowed me to try the Haggis on what was coincidentally Robert’s Burns’s (author of Auld Lang Syne) birthday on January 25th. For those of you unfamiliar, Haggis is a traditional Scottish dish made up of Sheep’s pluck (the heart, lung and liver) mixed with suet, oatmeal and seasonings and stuffed into a sheep’s stomach. You may be able to understand why we almost fainted when first hearing about it. It is usually served with mash potatoes or “Tatties” and a dram of scotch whisky.
Although no-one was dressed in a kilt Teena did manage to recite some verses from Robert Burns’s “Address to a Haggis”
Fair fa’ your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o’ the puddin’-race!
Aboon them a’ ye tak yer place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy o’ a grace
As lang’s my airm.
The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdies like a distant hill,
Your pin wad help to mend a mill
In time o need,
While thro your pores the dews distil
Like amber bead.
That is just part of it as it goes on for a few more verses. I didn’t quite understand what she was saying and her Scottish accent may have ran afoul of many a Scot I fear.
As for the Haggis, I made a mash using some organic Dutch Cream potatoes that I got from Alfalfa House which were so creamy that all I needed was the tiniest amount of milk and salt. The Haggis itself wasn’t bad although it had a mixed reaction from some not minding it to some rejecting it. Coming out of the boiling water it’s certainly a sight to behold, the glistening stomach holding all of the meat inside tightly. Inside we could see the even texture of the oatmeal mixed with the meat with a faint aroma of offal. And I’m glad that I tried it.
I had of course to visit the Hill’s Butchery where this Haggis was procured to see what else they offered. After arriving in Scotland in 1982, Ian Ovenstone and his wife wife Lynda have run the store since the mid 1980s. They’ve been at the current Maroubra location for 15 years and before that, they were in nearby Coogee. Walking in, we see that it’s an old fashioned butchery with plenty of Scottish decorations. He’s very welcoming, in the way that your memory of a butcher always is, before supermarket packets of plastic covered meat invaded our lives. The shop is steadily busy with him and I manage to get a few minutes with him in a rare quiet moment. I ask him about the Haggis of course and he tells me that last month he said he made an astounding 500-700g kilos of Haggis a week for the Burns Suppers.
Angus Fillet of beef
Showing us his other goodies, he shows us the Angus 300 day aged beef and whilst expensive at almost $50+ a kilo he says he stocks it because it always sells. There’s black pudding (that delicious blood sausage) and also white pudding which is a sausage with oatmeal in it sans blood which he says is best deep fried to lighten it up and make the oats toasty (not surprising, after all Scotland was the country to first deep dry a Mars Bar). There are potato scones, Irish Soda Bread and Scottish pies filled with mince as well as loads of sauces and items should you be wanting to try a bit of Scotland or if you’re a Scot, you miss the food. He tells us of many pensioners who come to visit on day trips to buy the food from as far as Gosford.
Black (blood) pudding
White Pudding
Should you be wanting some Haggis, black or white pudding his business also has a mail order service so you can order your Scottish treats online to have them delivered to you and within Sydney it’s same day service with everything packed in ice and outside of Sydney everything is packed in dry ice for the trip. He has delivered all over the country, most recently up to Townsville and the Gold Coast. Prices for within Sydney are reasonable (a recent courier delivery was $10 to Dural) and he also vacuum packs everything to ensure freshness and hygeine.
Ian Ovenstone
I ask him how his website is doing-a bone of contention for many business who feel that websites or the internet are not worthwhile and he says firmly “It’s the best thing I’ve ever done”. He points out that the packaging has the website address displayed prominently and as he is also stocked at all David Jones Food Halls he finds that some people buy direct from him after seeing the website address on the packaging. He also ranks well for Haggis in Australia so that helps enormously. I’m sure Robbie Burns would be proud indeed.
Hills Butchery
56 Moverly Road, Maroubra, NSW
Tel: +61 (02) 9344 6219
Open Monday -Friday 7.30am-6pm
Saturday 7am-12noon
Closed Sundays
http://www.hillsbutchery.com.au/
For an outline for a traditional Burns Supper, see Wikipedia.
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35 Comments | Add your own
Hi Lorraine!
I’ve never tasted this Scottish dish.. I don’t the result about Haggis at little “different” for my taste but I’d prove it.
Here we’ve other customs mostly from Spain.
Cheers,
Gera
What a great butcher’s shop! this haggis looks delicious! I’ve never had that speciality, but I’m sure it taste really good…
Cheers,
Rosa
all the way from gosford! it’s good to see a local butcher doing well. it would be horrible for them to die out
Safe to assume I’m in the minority then of people who had haggis served at their wedding?
Of course, I married one of them, and like your husband in his Finnish hat, if you were to run into mine in the city today, he’d be easy to spot in his St. Andrew’s cross cufflinks.
lol, a vegetarian’s dream post! Actually, I had a really wonderful butcher back in the UK, his shop was the heart of the community (he knows everything that goes on). I still haven’t been able to find one out here, there isn’t one anywhere near my town I find it very hard to ‘trust’ meat from the supermarket, if you know what I mean!
Those dutch creams sound marvellous. I love the description of Haggis as the chieftan of the pudding race
this is a really good find. Im in the area a lot and will drop in for some black pud!
OOhh Haggis, I remember my friend telling me about it when I was young and I always wanted to try cos it just sounded.. so exciting haha
I really want to try now haha
I have never had the opportunity to try Haggis, but would jump at the chance. Though I too would have cowered in fear in my younger years!
I’ve never had haggis, but I’ve sure heard a lot about it!
it is hard to go into a pub in Edinburgh without finding haggis, neeps and tatties on the menu. E is scottish and loves it when we have been in Edinburgh – but he is equally partial to my vegetarian haggis which is quite easy to make (probably easier than mucking about with all the offal and it tastes v good).
Your scottish butcher sounds like an excellent find – and am glad you have now made amends for deserting your friend’s scottish offerings at school (though I would have done the same)
I’m not quite sure if I have the stomach for this…I’m not a fan of offal anyway…so probably not…hehe…
This is why you are my fave food blog, you go everywhere were we mortals are afraid to go! =)
I live quite literally a block from the place, they also make very good steak pies (of many sizes) and sausage rolls. A very good cheap lunch, or family dinner!
Haggis is a tradition that we have once a year. Having lived in Sydney for 26yrs we have sourced a few Scottish providors, even our Australian born kids eat the many scottish delicacies but not haggis, they draw the line there.
Nothing ventured nothing gained.
Yay for small artisan butchers! I can’t stand plastic-looking supermarket meat products. I wonder if he delivers to South Australia? I’ll have to check out his website.
I grew up in Asia, but I’ve had haggis once or twice. (One of my dad’s former bosses was Scots.) And I rather liked it! That said, the haggis you had looked magnificent. (Oh, and what I’d do for a good slab of blood pudding and some mashed potatoes!)
Haggis! Who would have thunk it! I’m game but I don’t think any of the friends in my close circle would go within a 5km radius of it
Oh, I just love haggis! I didn’t know we could get it in Sydney though. Thanks for the great tip.
I just learned two new words: pluck and offal
And since Ian looks like my Australian ‘father’(from an exchange program) Trevor, I now feel homesick…
The Australia shop stocks tim tams and cherry ripes. The Scottish shop sells a sheep’s stomach. Love it!
You’re much more adventurous than me.
What does offal should smell like?
I love haggis!! I had that everyday when I went to Scotland.
I would love to hear your friend recite the poem in a Scottish accent – hilarious!
Hi Gera-I bet you have some really great traditions and customs from Spain!
Hi Rosa-It’s such a great little shop and the brisk business proves that people still love their neighbourhood butcher
Hi shez-I know! talk about dedicated
It would be terrible indeed.
Hi Amanda-Hehe wow, was it a Scottish ceremony with full gear and bagpipes I presume? LOL at cufflinks and Finnish cap.
Hi Angela-Yes I saw veal at the supermarket that was grey! Grey veal? Surely not!
Hi Arwen-Lol it’s a great poem isn’t it!
Hi Brianna-Yes do if you’ve got a chance. I love black pudding too
Hi Ffichiban-It’s full of meaty (actually offally) goodness so right up your alley!
Hi Jessica-Hehe yes I really tried to want it but I couldn’t but I like to think that I made up for it more recently
Hi Sara-Hehe it’s the stuff of legends isn’t it!
Hi Johanna-I think I’d really love to try a vegetarian haggis! Haha yes it’s a bit late coming this making amends
Hi Alexandra-Haha is that a pun?
Hi Aubrey-Awww thankyou so much!
Hi iwanj-Ahh cool, I saw them in the fridge section. They did look good but alas I was on my way to lunch.
Hi Linda-Ahh perhaps maybe when they’re older! But if they like everything else that’s certainly good
Hi HedonisticHostess-I believe that he does deliver Australia Wide so to St Australia it would go in dry ice
Hi Midge-That’s great that you got to try it a couple of times
Oh yes the idea of blood pudding is certainly not very appetising sounding but the eating of it is so good!
Hi Forager-Hehe we had to talk some into trying it but to their credit they did
Hi SarahKate-I think he’s the only one in Sydney that makes it. You’re welcome!
Hi Lisbeth-I’d never heard of pluck before I have to admit!
Awww that’s rather cool but sorry that you’re homesick 
Hi jess-Hehe I guess it just wouldn’t be Scottish if it didn’t!
Hi Blond Duck-Hehe I don’t know about that!
Hi Lilia-I don’t know if I could describe it at all
Hi pigpigscorner-Oh very cool! Did it taste very different from place to place?
Hi Christie-It was definitely harder than one would think!
i admire your adventurous cooking spirit!
haggis scares me.
i won’t lie–haggis frightens me. i’m a coward like that.
The haggis may not be the most attractive beastie, but I think it tastes good – like spicy sausage really. I have seen the ceremony of the haggis a couple of times in Scotland – it’s always good for a laugh.
If I have my little deli in Italy one day,I will definitely ask you to do the right-up. What a fabulous job you did!!!! I have never tried haggis before, but in my South African food heritage, there is something like haksel(pro: huksil) and it was similar except it was not stuffed in a stomach!! Lovely post!!!
I had haggis for the first time a couple of weeks ago, it’s really good. Great post
Hi reddoorred-Thankyou! Hehe I can understand that!
Hi grace-Aww you’re not a coward. I think most of the people had to be somewhat talked into trying it.
Hi Cakelaw-Our wasn’t really spicy. Perhaps it varies slightly? I’d love to see that in real life!
Hi nina-Thankyou so much! Wow, your own deli, what a lovely dream and that dish sounds intriguing. Thanks again!
Hi Alx-Thanks so much! Ah cool, did you have it for a Burns Supper?
If someone were to offer me haggis, I would most definitely eat it. Only thing I don’t care that much for is liver, but that’s not a deal breaker. The stomach bothers me not in the least; it’s far better than “chitlins” or chitterlings (i.e. pig intestine) of the Southern US (from whence I hail). The stomach of an aminmal harbors few bacteria, whereas the intestines…yuck. Plus you never can clean them perfectly so they reek of you know what. Vinegar can help some, but not completely to one with a sensitive nose like me. I have memories of weeks of nausea after my dad making them (he was a purist, no vinegar—oh the smell!!!:().
Hi Ericka-That’s great!
Oh yes I’ve heard of chitterlings but never tried that. I don’t do so well with Offal so I probably wouldn’t go for those but hey then again I like to try everything once 
Thanks for letting me know all about them though, they do sound intriguing.
Well done bro looks like u r doing fab,keep up the good work.
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