Kilted guest at 2008 Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner tries the haggis dim sum – photo VFK
Have you tried our haggis dim sum yet? Each year since 2004, we have been presenting variations of deep-fried haggis won ton. We have also mixed haggis into spring rolls and pork dumplings – but the deep-fried haggis won ton is my favorite. Afterall, I hear the Scots like deep-fried Mars bars – and that must taste like a little bit of deep-fried choclate heaven.
Dim Sum can be translated as “pieces of the heart” or “touch the heart” or “pieces of heaven.” These are small portions of food that are succulent and delicious. But what happens when you add haggis to this little heavenly morsels? Will haggis, one of the world's most celebrated and reviled foods ascend to the celestial kingdom?
But you cannot give a proper “Address to A Haggis” if it's already cut up into little wee piece.
Traditional Scots still like to see a traditional haggis at a Burns Dinner. We serve a one pounder of haggis to each table. It might be not enough for 10 Scots guests – but it is more than enough for 10 non-Scottish diners. To solve the problem we encourage people to share.
We also serve a 7 pound banquet haggis that is “as lang's my arm” to our head table. This ensures that it is pretty in pictures… as well as extra leftovers for any of our guests.
Bagpiper Joe McDonald does the honours at the 2008 Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner – photo VFK.
An' cut you up wi' ready sleight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like ony ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reekin, rich!
– 3rd verse from Robert Burns poem “Address to A Haggis”
Now imagine layering a little bit of haggis with Chinese plum sauce, adding crispy noodles, finely diced vegetables and Chinese water chestnuts, and serving on a delicate leaf of lettuce. This is our Gung Haggis lettuce wrap, a cultural and culinalry fusion twist. But people say they have never seen people eat so much haggis, or eat haggis so quickly!
And what does our traditional haggis maker think of all this?
In 2006, we were paid a high compliment when haggis rancher Peter Black attended the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner with his family! Peter loved what we had done with his haggis.
Peter Black & Sons, at Park Royal Mall in West Vancouver, is BC's largest producer of haggis. Peter's haggis is a family secret with extra spices. It is different from a traditional lard recipe – which I have occasionally gagged on. I describe a Peter Black haggis to be like a nice liver pate, suitable for serving with crackers at your next Super Bowl party.
Be sure to visit Peter Black & Sons at Park Royal South – because there is an annual display of “live wild haggis.” Often the haggis is sleeping, and you have to be very careful not to disturb it – but if you're quiet, you can sneak up on it.
Peter Black & Sons with family at the 2006 Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner, linking hands to sing Auld Lang Syne to bring a finale to the dinner event – photo Ray Shum
Here are some of the menus from our past dinners:
2008 Gung Haggis Fat Choy menu announced: now with Mongolian Beef to celebrate Year of the Rat
2007 Menu for Gung Haggis Fat Choy™:Toddish McWong's Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner
I will play some solo accordion pieces + select some of my favorite tunes featuring accordion by other artists. Maybe the Bruce Springsteen acoustic version of Fire, or the new Emmylou Harris album “All I Intended to Be” featuring a song co-written with Canadians Kate & Anna McGarrigle titled “Sailing Roudn the Room.” 
I performed last year on Accordion Noir – just before the 2008 Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner. My bagpiper friend Joe McDonald also brought along his accordion, and we jammed along to our recorded rap version of “Address to a Haggis”
Geoff is sitting 2nd from left, beside Kerry Jang, looking up at Andrea Reimer, waiting to receive his “city councilor office bling” – photo Patrick Tam
