We tried haggis, but not in Scotland.

January 25 was the 250th birthday of poet Robert Burns. At BYU Special Collections, I have responsibility for the Robert Burns Collection and have an exhibit up in the library. I was also invited to take a few books from the collection over to the Robert Burns Supper that the Utah Scottish Association held in the Wilkinson Center. Between the Robert Burns exhibit I've been working on for the past 6 months and the paper I was working on, I sometimes feel like I have had an extra man in my life.

Neither Don nor I have ever been to one of these dinners, and it quite interesting. There are lots of traditions associated with Burns Suppers, from piping in the haggis to traditional toasts to poetry readings and singing "Auld Lang Syne." And tons of food using products traditionally grown in Scotland, from salmon to oats.

Haggis tastes really strange. I can't describe it, but it wasn't so good to me. After we tried the haggis, Don leaned over to me and said, "Remind me to tell you later what I think this tastes like." Uh-oh, I thought, this can't be good. I know some of the meats he's tried -- I even tried alligator with him! Sure enough, after we left, he confirmed my suspicions: haggis reminded him of dog meat. I don't know what I'm going to do if I have to go to the Burns Supper next year!

The dinner (and me) are on BYU Weekly this week!