Burns Night Supper

Day 104: I am proud of my Scottish heritage despite the fact that it came by way of "the wrong side of the blanket." I have never been quite sure whether it was my grandfather's mother or his grandmother who caught the attention of a McLeod, nor do I know if she was willing or taken by force. In any event, my grandfather went to Scotland to try to solve the mystery of his lineage, and if he did so, it was not related to my mother other than to assure her that she had McLeods of Lewis in her background. Our tartan is often referred to as "the loud McLeod" with variations of the spelling of the family name. I keep with the traditions of my upbringing, and while I would have preferred haggis to Scotch pie for my Burns Night supper, my moral compass will no longer allow me to shop with the butcher who supplied the meat. Scotch pie is made with lamb (if not with organ meats) and I season mine with mace, bay and mixed herbs. The pies are topped with a cornstarch gravy made from lamb drippings and beef broth, and the crusts are a light hot-water pastry. My recipe makes four individual servings. The pies are even better on the reheat, but Scot that I am, the Glen Livet goes back in the cupboard until Burns Night 2023.