Let's Go have some Haggis...heart, liver & more

Haggis is a traditional Scottish dish. There are many recipes, most of which have in common the following ingredients: sheep's 'pluck' (heart, liver and lungs), minced with onion,oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and traditionally boiled in the animal'sstomach for approximately three hours.

Haggis somewhat resembles stuffed intestines (pig intestines otherwise known aschitterlings or the kokoretsi of traditional Balkan cuisine), sausages and savoury puddings of which it is among the largest types. As the 2001 English edition of the Larousse Gastronomique puts it, "Although its description is not immediately appealing, haggis has an excellent nutty texture and delicious savoury flavour."^[1]

Most modern commercial haggis is prepared in a casing rather than an actual stomach. There are also meat-free recipes for vegetarians including vegans.

Source: wikipedia.org

Sriracha - the really hot Thai sauce?

Seems that the NY Times has given a big plug today for this really hotsie, totsie Sriracha sauce. I like it and it's pretty hard to find even around the NY area. Here's what theWikipedia has to say about it:

"Sriracha (Thai: ศรีราชา, pronounced /siːrətʃə/ or SEE-rah-chah) ^[1] is the generic name for Thai-style hot sauce named after the seaside city of Si Racha, Thailand, where it was first produced for the local seafood restaurants. Typically made from sun-ripened chili peppers, vinegar, garlic, sugar and salt, it is a common condiment in many of America's Asian restaurants and increasingly in American and European homes.

The flavor of both Thai and popular non-Thai versions is dominated by its central ingredient, hot chilies. To achieve a blend of hot, sweet, and spicy, other items such as sugar, salt, garlic, and vinegar are typically added. Traditional Thai Sriracha tends to be more tangy, sweet, complex, and thinner than non-Thai, which is often thicker in texture. Versions featuring lemon grass, ginger, galanga and other exotic flavors have been introduced in Thailand for the export market.

Originally exclusively a fresh sauce domestically consumed, Sriracha sold as a prepared product typically contains preservatives such as potassium sorbate, sodium bisulfite, and citric acid to maintain its shelf life before and after opening."

Source: wikipedia.org

Ever hear of Nduja (spicy pig) sausage?

The name sounds delicious doesn't it? NOT!

"Nduja is a creamy, and extremely spicy pig sausage mainly produced in Calabria. The name derives from the French andouille. Nduja is made using meat from the head, minus the cheeks which are used for guanciale, trimmings from various parts of the pig, some clean skin, fatbackand roasted hot red peppers which give the Nduja its characteristic fiery taste. Nduja originates from the southern part of Calabria, namely from the small town of Spilinga and its neighborhood. Nduja is mainly served over bread slices or coupled with ripe cheese. Its particular taste is best exploited in a variety of dishes, e.g. it is added to tomato sauce when preparing pasta."

Source: fr. Wikipedia.org