Vegetarian haggis?

[Cornish Steve]

A couple of weeks ago, my wife bought a British paper sold here in the US. One of the advertisers was flogging vegetarian haggis. By the very definition of haggis, how can it possibly be vegetarian? Isn't this the ultimate in marketing?

 

[skyhi2]

They probably sell lots of em too

Very gullible them yanks

Skyhi2.

 

[Jheath]

Veggie Haggis does exist, it's been around for years and it's great!
I think the company that make it is called McSweens or something like that. I haven't had any for a while but it's actually delicious. Having said that I've never tried the carnie version so maybe I'm not the best person to judge

http://www.macsween.co.uk/product-range/vegetarian

 

A couple of weeks ago, my wife bought a British paper sold here in the US. One of the advertisers was flogging vegetarian haggis. By the very definition of haggis, how can it possibly be vegetarian? Isn't this the ultimate in marketing?

Whats wrong with that.?

Sheep eat grass.

Earl

 

[Cornish Steve]

OK. Here's the list of ingredients from a recipe for making haggis. How can anyone possibly make a vegetarian version while still calling it haggis?

• 1 sheep's lung
• 1 sheep's stomach
• 1 sheep heart
• 1 sheep liver
• 1/2 lb fresh suet (kidney leaf fat is preferred)
• 3/4 cup oatmeal (the ground type, NOT the Quaker Oats type!)
• 3 onions, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3/4 cup stock

 

[papverpoppies]

OK. Here's the list of ingredients from a recipe for making haggis. How can anyone possibly make a vegetarian version while still calling it haggis?

• 1 sheep's lung
• 1 sheep's stomach
• 1 sheep heart
• 1 sheep liver
• 1/2 lb fresh suet (kidney leaf fat is preferred)
• 3/4 cup oatmeal (the ground type, NOT the Quaker Oats type!)
• 3 onions, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3/4 cup stock

Well even wikipedia now mentions the vegetarian haggis - so I quess it must be OK!

How can a veggie sausage be called a sausage (same thing really)!

Poppy

 

[am:pm graphics]

yum haggis..is it lunch yet?

 

[directmarketingadvice]

Veggie Haggis does exist, it's been around for years and it's great!
I think the company that make it is called McSweens or something like that. I haven't had any for a while but it's actually delicious. Having said that I've never tried the carnie version so maybe I'm not the best person to judge

http://www.macsween.co.uk/product-range/vegetarian

I can confirm all of the above. I first heard about it around 1990.

Steve

 

[visagephoto]

Veggie haggis!! That's sacrilege. . . bloody sacrilege!!

What ever will they think of next? . . .

Veggie tatties & neeps? . . . Aye right.

 

[Airia]

They sell it at our local Waitrose. I tried it. I'm vegetarian.

It's horrible!

 

[thebusiness]

OK. Here's the list of ingredients from a recipe for making haggis. How can anyone possibly make a vegetarian version while still calling it haggis?

The point is they don't then call it 'haggis' - they call it 'vegetarian haggis'. So let's turn your question around, how could they possibly make a 'vegetarian haggis' and then make it out of 99% sheep!

 

[Cornish Steve]

But that's like calling a lettuce leaf "vegetarian tongue".

 

[Geoff T]

vegetarian haggis

Me wee Gran (God rest her) I believe used to call that "white pudding"...

Just goes to show you shouldn't let the marketing types out without a leash Steve...(that's a lead for those back in ol' Blighty!)

 

[skyhi2]

http://www.aboutaberdeen.com/whackthehaggisgame.php

Have a go at this,suitable for veggies too

Skyhi2.

 

[casado]

Veggie Haggis does exist, it's been around for years and it's great!
I think the company that make it is called McSweens or something like that. I haven't had any for a while but it's actually delicious. Having said that I've never tried the carnie version so maybe I'm not the best person to judge

Simple, Veggie Haggis is not Haggis, is another thing. Same as Fake Haggis aint really Haggis.
I am not surprised that they try to sell it, what shocks me is that people buy it. It is kind of admitting that being vegetarian is somehow abnormal, and that they need to fake the non veggie food to get by.

 

[emmylou74]

Simple, Veggie Haggis is not Haggis, is another thing. Same as Fake Haggis aint really Haggis.
I am not surprised that they try to sell it, what shocks me is that people buy it. It is kind of admitting that being vegetarian is somehow abnormal, and that they need to fake the non veggie food to get by.

I don't see how it is admitting that being vegetarian is abnormal LOL I have never understood why meat eaters get their knickers in a twist over vegetarian products. I'm vegetarian and love vege haggis, vege sausage and wait for it vege bacon LOL

 

[casado]

I don't see how it is admitting that being vegetarian is abnormal LOL I have never understood why meat eaters get their knickers in a twist over vegetarian products. I'm vegetarian and love vege haggis, vege sausage and wait for it vege bacon LOL

To me is very simple. Why would anyone who do not want to eat meat, would pay to eat something that has the look, and may be feel and flavour, of meat? Does people need to have that "feeling" of eating meet even though they are vegetarian?
I can not answer that as I have never been one.
As for what you eat or you don't I couldn't care less.

 

[emmylou74]

To me is very simple. Why would anyone who do not want to eat meat, would pay to eat something that has the look, and may be feel and flavour, of meat? Does people need to have that "feeling" of eating meet even though they are vegetarian?
I can not answer that as I have never been one.
As for what you eat or you don't I couldn't care less.

Its simple I personally don't want to eat meat because I think its wrong - so if I can have a vege sausage and no animal was murdered for it then I'm happy!

A lot of meat eaters give me loads of hassle for the same argument - why should they care if I choose vege over the real thing - what does it matter!

 

[casado]

Its simple I personally don't want to eat meat because I think its wrong - so if I can have a vege sausage and no animal was murdered for it then I'm happy!

A lot of meat eaters give me loads of hassle for the same argument - why should they care if I choose vege over the real thing - what does it matter!

I haven't said that that I matters to me what you eat, I think I said just the opposite. My only point was that all this veggie meat-like products make it look like being vegetarian is somehow abnormal, and you just confirmed it, implying that you kind of "need" to have a sausage but you do not want to have it so you settle down for a fake.
What I do not appreciate is to be called a murderer for eating meat, as you would not appreciate to be called the same for eating carrots that, after all need to be killed to be digested.
One can only murder a person under certain circumstances, otherwise would be manslaughter, but is totally impossible to murder an animal that is not a human as much as it is impossible to murder a tree or a tomato plant.

 

[emmylou74]

I haven't said that that I matters to me what you eat, I think I said just the opposite. My only point was that all this veggie meat-like products make it look like being vegetarian is somehow abnormal, and you just confirmed it, implying that you kind of "need" to have a sausage but you do not want to have it so you settle down for a fake.
What I do not appreciate is to be called a murderer for eating meat, as you would not appreciate to be called the same for eating carrots that, after all need to be killed to be digested.
One can only murder a person under certain circumstances, otherwise would be manslaughter, but is totally impossible to murder an animal that is not a human as much as it is impossible to murder a tree or a tomato plant.

I'm totally not going down the road of arguing whos more morally right - I believe what I believe - live and let live - you cannot tell me what is morally right as much as I cannot tell you.

 

[casado]

I'm totally not going down the road of arguing whos more morally right - I believe what I believe - live and let live - you cannot tell me what is morally right as much as I cannot tell you.

Sorry, but you do at the moment that you call people who never killed anyone a murderer. I am not telling you anything but that you can not call me, or anyone else, a murderer just because you think you found a way to be feel superior to the rest. Apart from that, as if you decide to believe in the interstellar brotherhood, as long as you don't go about telling people who don't believe it that they are murderers.

 

[emmylou74]

you seriously need to chill a bit if I give the impression that I feel I am more superior than you - then you have me very very wrong and I am sorry about that. Like I said I'm not going to get into a debate about peoples personal morals and views - these are mine - that I shared - you shared yours with me.

 

[casado]

you seriously need to chill a bit if I give the impression that I feel I am more superior than you - then you have me very very wrong and I am sorry about that. Like I said I'm not going to get into a debate about peoples personal morals and views - these are mine - that I shared - you shared yours with me.

Sorry, I repeat that when you call someone a murderer those morals stop being personal, unless, obviously, you think murder is right. You just said that you think that just because you refuse to eat meat, you are better person, call it morally superior or whatever, redundantly, according to your moral.
But if you where consistent with your "morals", you should refuse anything coming from a person who eats meat, as that would make you profit from the killing of animals. But that would be too dear for your "personal" moral, wouldn't it?. Moral is right as long as is personal, you can call anyone a murderer or what you fancy at the moment, and, specially, if it's free.
As for the rest, as I said, I couldn't care less about your choice, you don't call me a murderer and I will not call you a bigot.

 

[emmylou74]

Peace man

 

[casado]

Peace man

Si vis pacem, para bellum

 

[Cornish Steve]

Wow. Who would have thought that a thread about haggis could stir such emotions? Reading these messages has made me hungry. Right now, I could a murder a good .....

 

[emmylou74]

Right now, I could a murder a good .....

carrot?

 

[Officebird]

Goodness me, it started out so friendly too lol.

Great marketing ploy this, wish I'd thought of it

 

[Jheath]

I choose to be veggie for lots of reasons and love a massive range of plant based foods including savoury proteins including grains, pulses and cultured foods. The fact that sometimes they are made into shapes like burgers and sausages is convenient but otherwise is neither here nor there. It makes me laugh when carnies are suprised to find they don't have a monopoly on food in those shapes! Most people I know are inquisitive and adventurous about food and love to try some of my favourite specialities. I can't believe people miss out on chilli and ginger marinaded tofu or deep fried tempeh - there are 1000's of flavours and textures and foods from a myriad different cultures from around the world. I would never swap all that for pieces from five or six species of animal carcass. Some people have no idea what they're missing out on!

There's a great travel book which is a fantastic resource on food from around the world with amazing photos and recipes which just happen to be veggie here:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss...-keywords=world+food+cafe&sprefix=world+food+

Is vegetarian haggis real haggis? of course not, but it tastes nice so who cares?

 

[Flying Hippy]

I had veggie one from costco a few years ago. Tasted nice. looked for it the other day but could not see the veggie ones.

Use to be a chef years ago still cook at home for the misses

 

[maria102]

I don't eat meat, predominantly because I just don't like it, very squeamish although I am an animal lover too. I eat meat alternatives because I just like the taste of them and they are another option, not that I am feel like I am missing out, I could well do without them. We eat a lot of Quorn, but not because we are missing regular mince, mince meat mince smells and is really quite hideous.

 

I love vegetarian food, I always reckon its way more colourful than us meat-eaters.

.............thats why my favourite pizza is a Vegetarian with Ham

People do need to get the idea that vegetables ARE good for you, and increasing their intake IS a good thing. This whole 5 a day malarkey means nowt in our house, as we could have 3-4 portions with any one meal.

The dark green fellahs are best I reckon (brocolli, Cabbage, Sprouts etc), and I try to eat these most weeks.

I do wish they'd give that veggie lot a tablecloth though, its damn unhygenic

Veggie Haggis makes no sense, but I suspect if they called it 'Veggie McTavish' it might not sell the same.

 

[Cornish Steve]

It makes me laugh when carnies are suprised to find they don't have a monopoly on food in those shapes!

Carnies - now there's a term I've never heard before.

Forgive me for asking what may be a stupid question, but I'm fascinated. Many vegetarians don't eat meat because they don't believe in killing animals. On the other hand, you'll kill ants or a spider or cockroach without blinking. Having travelled a lot in Asia, I've seen the vendor stalls selling fried crickets and cockroaches. Given that killing is not the issue for them, and they are full of protein, would you eat them? In other words, where do you draw the line?

 

Have Veggies got a name for the rest of us? thats nice, and very inclusive of them

 

[Jheath]

Have Veggies got a name for the rest of us? thats nice, and very inclusive of them

Yeah we're a very inclusive bunch, us veggies! I'm very tolerant of carnies, in fact some of my best friends are tolerant of carnies too! Although I'd never date one -meat breath is such a turn-off!

 

[casado]

I love vegetarian food, I always reckon its way more colourful than us meat-eaters.

.............thats why my favourite pizza is a Vegetarian with Ham

People do need to get the idea that vegetables ARE good for you, and increasing their intake IS a good thing. This whole 5 a day malarkey means nowt in our house, as we could have 3-4 portions with any one meal.

The dark green fellahs are best I reckon (brocolli, Cabbage, Sprouts etc), and I try to eat these most weeks.

I do wish they'd give that veggie lot a tablecloth though, its damn unhygenic

Veggie Haggis makes no sense, but I suspect if they called it 'Veggie McTavish' it might not sell the same.

Only in this country and in this generation(s) can we have this silly discussion. I have been brought up in a Mediterranean country, and I eat and have eaten all kind of thing. You can bribe me with a good salad, plenty of olive oil. I enjoy beans, sprouts, vegetables of all colours and tastes. I enjoy fresh fish, oh, to die for, and all sorts of meats, pork, chicken, beef, rabbit (yes, rabbit, delicious in so many ways)
If someone wants to give up on some food, it is up to them. The only thing that I said, that seem to have upset some people is that making veggie meat look a like foods and that there is a demand for them (not that some people may eat it just because it is there or just out of curiosity) make it look like there is the implied assumption that vegetarians would like to have the feeling of eating meat without actually eating it. I find that courious, as some of the arguments in favour of vegetarians is that people do not need to eat meat to survive and that is true, you can survive only on vegetables. But it is also true taht you do not need to eat vegetables to survive, for instance traditional food in Mongolia is almos entirely made of meat, animal blood and milk, and people there live longer than here. Thanks to the fact that humans can survive on so many different foods we are here.
Yet most of dieaticians say that the best diet is composed of everything, not too much of just one thing. In any case, every one eat what He or She wants, what I was contesting is the fact that some forms of eating may be considered in any way more moral than others, and, least of all the majority of people living now, or that have lived in the past (and made it possible that we are alive) are murderers just for doing what in the human species is natural. Would anyone call a lion a murderer just because the lion eats meat?

 

[Clodbuster]

Vegetarian - isn't that an old Red Indian word meaning "Bad Hunter"

 

[Jheath]

Carnies - now there's a term I've never heard before.

Forgive me for asking what may be a stupid question, but I'm fascinated. Many vegetarians don't eat meat because they don't believe in killing animals. On the other hand, you'll kill ants or a spider or cockroach without blinking. Having travelled a lot in Asia, I've seen the vendor stalls selling fried crickets and cockroaches. Given that killing is not the issue for them, and they are full of protein, would you eat them? In other words, where do you draw the line?

I can't speak for others but personally I wouldn't kill any kind of animal unless I was in personal danger (him or me). I certainly wouldn't kill something just because it irritated me or was in my space, like a spider or a mouse (or a horse for that matter - what's the difference?). So I wouldn't eat them either. I wouldn't kill a non-human animal any sooner than I'd kill a human animal (although the latter is tempting sometimes )

Yet most of dieaticians say that the best diet is composed of everything, not too much of just one thing. In any case, every one eat what He or She wants, what I was contesting is the fact that some forms of eating may be considered in any way more moral than others, and, least of all the majority of people living now, or that have lived in the past (and made it possible that we are alive) are murderers just for doing what in the human species is natural. Would anyone call a lion a murderer just because the lion eats meat?

A lion is doing what it does through instinct. Humans have humanity, we have a choice. For many veggies it's not the principle of killing, it's more about the exploitation and cruelty in the factory farming system. Other issues around natural resources, world food and land use factor in there as well. It's arguable that (for example) shooting say a wild rabbit humanely for food presents little problem. The dead bunny has to die one day anyway and probably suffered less than the other likely options. If the hunter takes only what he needs to eat, takes responsibility to kill humanely then a lot of the problem goes away.

Vegetarian - isn't that an old Red Indian word meaning "Bad Hunter"

Native Americans were co-dependent on animals and had huge reverence for them. Sure they killed to eat, but used every part of the animal. They saw the relationship as co-operative rather than exploitative, something we could learn from today. They had a huge reverence for the natural world in general. It took NASA to send back pictures of the earth, and James Lovelock to express his Gaia Theory for the environmental movement to grow and for the rest of us to start to understand what they already knew.

Wow that's a bit involved for a business forum on a sunday night - sorry about that, but you did ask!

 

[Cornish Steve]

Deer hunting is a big deal in this part of the world. Indeed, it's necessary to cull them otherwise their numbers would get a little out of hand. This means that venison is both popular and often free. Given what you've said, it's frustrating that some people hide in the woods to prevent hunting (and some even shoot at hunters) because, ultimately, hunting deer helps the herd.

When is haggis hunting season?

 

[Rusty]

I'm not a vegetarian but much prefer a vegetarian haggis having had a rather unpleasant experience with a meat one when I was younger.

If you get a good veggie haggis it tastes just as good as the real thing but without all the bits in which make me a little squeamish. I eat it because I like the taste of the recipe, just like I often eat veggie sausage because the taste is sometimes better than the meat variety and certainly doesn't come with all the unsavory stuff that a cheap meat alternative has in it.

Kerry