Robbie Burns Day - your favorite dishes, drinks

Andigol suggested brown sugar, double cream & a drizzle of Scotch on oatmeal, as she was served in England, to the current "oatmeal add-ins" thread. good for Breakfast on Burns Day, no? Canny Sassenachs learned something from forrays (sp) north of the border.

How could we forget shortbread? That alone and a few shots of Macallan would make me very happy. :-)

Antonia James - so you and your husband must have been to so.e amazing Burns family reunions and/or dinners?! Wonderful family connection :)!

Your husband is descended from Robert Burns? No way!

Smear a baguette with creme fraiche (maybe a little horseradish mixed in), strip of smoked trout or smoked salmon, then another little dollop of creme fraiche to hold a sprig of dill in place, or a few capers.

Not sure where I got this, but I love plain cakes like this:

Traditional Scottish Recipes 
- Sultana Cake

Although they are known as sultanas in Scotland, these are really just seedless white raisins. This recipe makes a moist cake which keeps well in a tin. 



Ingredients:

8 ounces sultanas (seedless white raisins)
4 ounces butter or firm margarine (cut up into small pieces)
6 ounces sugar
6 ounces self raising flour (known also as all-purpose flour with baking powder)
2 small eggs (beaten)
2 ounces chopped nuts (optional)
A few drops of almond essence
Pinch of salt


Method:

Cover the sultanas in water and let them soak over-night. Bring the water and sultanas to the boil and then strain off the water. Mix in the butter or margarine while the sultanas are still hot.

Mix in the sugar, beaten eggs and almond essence. Sift in the flour and salt and then add in the chopped nuts (if desired). Mix well.

Grease an 8" round baking tin and line the bottom with greased, greaseproof paper (vegetable parchment or waxed paper). Pour in the cake mixture and smooth the top.

Bake in a moderate oven at 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4 for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 150C/300F/Gas Mark 2 until the centre is firm to the touch. Empty cake from the baking tin and store in an air-tight container.

finnan haddie? cullen skink?

And when everyone gets tired of Brigadoon, have you watched "Monarch of the Glen"? Something like a dozen series, 10 or so episodes each... so it may last longer than your Scotch does. :-)
http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/70140416?strkid=2116151976_0_0&trkid=222336&movieid=70140416

p.s. Must have Brigadoon, movie version with Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse (how Scottish can you get?) playing on an iPad or TV on a loop.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046807/

aargersi, I love your phrase, "The Google." Reminds me of "The Grand Guignol." Not a bad name for a search engine in today's world. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Guignol

Nancy... nay, I would na fash ye, lass. Have you considered a bagpiper? Even a bad one will do.

I have a Scottish friend who swears a lot, is hilariously funny and holds no punches. So, yeah, do that :-)

What about Scotch eggs? Too obvious? Smoked salmon on toasts - obvious but delicious.

The Google has a lot of good ideas too ...

Pat - thanks I''ll look at your link. Pegeen - dinna fash me. You like it all?! A dinner party not only with a sound track, but poetry. Now all I need is a piper (or recording of same).

Then to go with inpatskitchen's menu, you only need the music/poetry:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_12?url=search-alias%3Dpopular&field-keywords=robert+burns&sprefix=robert+burns%2Cpopular%2C147

Nay a Robbie Burns poem that dunnat bring me tears.

I found this link for a Robbie Burns Day Buffet...recipes and all:
http://www.canadianliving.com/food/menus_and_collections/robbie_burns_buffet_menu.php