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PRICED MERCHANDISE) CAMPBELLVILLE MILTON HW Y 2 5OLDE HIDEHOUSE DU BL IN LI NE GU EL PH LI NE GUELPH GEORGETOWN 7 7 ITS WORTH THE DRIVE TO ACTON SERVING ACTON & AREA FOR OVER 20 YEARS! SPECIALS FROM: Jan. 21st to Feb. 3rd OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK * 9 AM - 6 PM HWY. 7, 1 MILE WEST OF ACTON 519-853-0311 (800)-387-4039 www.macmillans.ca ULTIMATE $12.99 SUPERBOWL SPECIALS Bag Nacho Chips Block Medium Cheese 1 Jar of Mild or Hot Salsa Or 1 tray of Heat & Serve Dip APPETIZER COMBO 45 PIECES $12.99 HEAT & SERVE2KG. $14.99 FULLY COOKED CHICKEN WINGS HORS DOEUVRESASSORTED FLAVOURS (While Supplies Last) EXTRA LARGE THIN-CRUST PIZZA BUY 1 DELUXE AT FREE VEGETABLE PIZZA & RECEIVE A$7.99 NACHO SPECIAL Acton/Georgetown, Friday, January 25, 2008 7 Today is Robbie Burns Day, that day when all Scots (and wannabe Scots) have the perfect excuse to eat heartily, drink and make merry, all in memory of their native Scottish son. Over the years, Ive covered my share of Burns dinners, enjoying all the ceremony and pageantry that one associates with the event. The piping in of the haggis, the long drawn- out address, (which few people have any inkling of whats actually said) followed by the toast, is a ritual that everyone ought to see at least once. The same with tasting haggis. Those who turn their nose up at the dish are pre-judging the medieval treat, just because it was originally made from the liver, lungs and heart of a sheep, which were boiled, minced and mixed with chopped onions, toasted oatmeal, salt, pep- per, and spices, then plopped into a sheeps stom- ach, stitched up and cooked. Okay, it sounds gross I agree. But it actually tastes great, especially with a lit- tle beef gravy drizzled over it. Today, the recipe is a little less earthy. The finest meats are selected, and the ingredients are fine-tuned to make a great dish. Even the stomach is synthetic material, and some websites are even offering recipes for vege- tarian versions of haggis. I covered a Burns dinner last weekend at St. Johns United Church in Georgetown. For the first time in all of my 25 years of attending Burns dinners, the Address to The Haggis was performed by a woman. Now Ive seen some great recitations of the address and some less than great ones. You see, I figure the more theatrics one puts into the address, the better it gets. And I tell ya, at St. Johns, Bett Leverette certainly didnt disap- point with her rendition. Now I tend to shoot the address up close and personal, right under the nose of the speaker, capturing the expressions and gestures as best I can. Ive watched with anticipation as speakers pull out a dinky little sgian dubh (black knife) tucked in their sock, to perform the dastardly deed, slashing open the haggis: An cut you up wi ready sleight, Trenching your gushing entrails bright, Like ony ditch... But when Bett came to that part, she didnt pull out some puny little blade. No siree she hauled out a weapon thatd make Crocodile Dundee proud. Actually, wielding it about, within inches of my nose like some possessed demon... well, she scared me... maybe a little. A few wild swipes in the air and she plunged that knife into that poor haggis so savagely that I was pretty certain I heard it scream out. Of course, in retrospect, it might have been me that screamed. As Bett and piper Steve Jenkins partook of their toast to the Haggis, I thought to myself, Yup, another haggis sacrificed for the immortal memory of Scotlands native son. Tonight, The Sidekick and I will be partaking of some of Burns traditional bill o fare, like neeps (turnips) and tatties (potatoes) and an ample serving of haggis, of course. And as someone reads the Immortal Memory, Im sure well all sit back, musing; But if ye wish her gratefu prayer, Gie her a haggis! Ted Brown can be reached at tbrown@independentfreepress.com Gie her a haggis Ted Brown