The great chieftain of the pudding race is about to be celebrated in style as the residents of Spean Bridge host Scotland’s first haggis festival, writes Susan Welsh
Glen Wilson lives in the Highlands and has a brilliantly Scottish-sounding name, so it comes as a bit of surprise to hear him, one of the organisers of Scotland’s first haggis festival, speak in a broad Yorkshire accent.
The ’aggis Festival, as friendly Glen tends to call it, is a genius idea and why no one has organised a festival devoted to Scotland’s iconic national dish before is a mystery. Glen, 54, an adopted Highlander who runs a guesthouse and self-catering premises at Spean Bridge, is determined to make it a success.
The one-day festival will take place in the Highland village this Saturday, April 11. The idea of it has caught the imagination and the fun ceilidh with live band Skippinish, scheduled for the evening, has sold out already. But there’s still plenty going on during the day to keep locals and visitors happy – and all the events are FREE.
Glen, who represents event organisers the Glen Spean and Great Glen Tourism Group, said: “About 18 months ago, we began sounding out ideas to promote this area and one of our members, Peter Macintosh, suggested a haggis festival. We thought, surely that’s been done before, so we researched it thoroughly, but couldn’t find any trace of a festival dedicated solely to the national dish.
“We approached haggis manufacturer Macsween, who said to the best of their knowledge there had never been a festival devoted purely to haggis, which makes our festival novel and unique. One of the things we are keen to do is persuade consumers that haggis should be eaten every day of the year. It’s closely linked to Robert Burns and January 25, but we need to demonstrate that there’s more to it than that.”
The event will be opened by Donald Cameron jun, the son of Cameron of Locheil, and will include a host of unusual haggis-themed events, including demonstrations from three top chefs: Glen Russell, from Russell’s Restaurant, and Ben Martin, from the Oak Station Restaurant, both in Spean Bridge, and Colin Bussey, who previously worked at The Savoy and was formerly executive chef at Gleneagles.
Colin, now Macsween’s resident chef, will rustle up a host of mouthwatering treats such as vegetarian haggis empanadas, haggis Scotch eggs and haggis and lamb koftas, and demonstrate how to make the perfect British beef and haggis burger. Other treats visitors can expect to sample on the day include haggis bon bons, haggis and walnut roast, haggis crisps and a special real ale suppled by Cairngorm Brewery.
“Cairngorm Brewery created Haggis Hunter Ale a few years ago, but will do a special bottling for the festival. It backs another point we’re trying to make – that it’s not just whisky that goes well with haggis; other drinks, including real ale, work really well, too,” said Glen.
Other attractions include a visit from adult-sized mascot Hamish the Haggis, a morning haggis hunt when young visitors can scour the village for football-sized haggis models created by local schoolchildren, a craft fair featuring the work of locally based Lochaber producers, live music from Lochaber Music School students and a Highland Haggis Fling, organised by the Lochaber Ladies shinty team.
“The fling is a fun event and not meant to be taken as seriously as an Olympic event, but it will be interesting to see if anyone breaks the world record, which stands at 217ft. Our event will take place in the school playing fields when we’ll throw a weighted fabric artificial haggis – it would be an atrocious waste of good food to throw a real haggis,” said Glen, who bakes his haggis before offering it as part of a full Scottish breakfast to his guests.
For the past few weeks, children of Spean Bridge and Roy Bridge primary schools have been coming up with haggis recipe ideas.
“These are being studied and the winning recipe will be chosen at the festival, and created there and then by Colin Bussey with, hopefully, the child who provided the recipe standing next to him.”
James Macsween, joint MD and owner of Macsween, said: ‘As it is our mission to showcase the versatility of haggis, we are delighted to be involved in this lovely event. Our resident chef, Colin Bussey, will be showing visitors how quick and easy it is to cook with haggis, adding it to family-favourite dishes to give it a refreshing twist.”
The family day takes place at Spean Bridge Primary School from 2-5pm on Saturday, April 11, and admission is free of charge. The festival party night, which starts at 7pm and features a traditional haggis supper followed by a ceilidh with live music by Skipinnish at the village community hall, is sold out, but it may be worth checking for ticket cancellations with the organisers who are hoping this may become an annual event.
Contact: The Highland Haggis Festival on 01397 712684/712452.