Well, ask a stupid question, and you get a few smart answers.
At the bottom of yesterday's column, I asked Lycos 50 readers if they knew the reason why Scottish poet Robert Burns had seen phenomenal search growth over the past three weeks. A number of readers responded, and it turns out Robert Burns is a much bigger phenomenon than first we thought.
Robert Burns, better known as Robbie Burns, lived in the 18th century, and his most famous poem is the New Year's Eve staple Auld Lang Syne. Burns' birthday, January 25th, is a national holiday in Scotland, marked by a fabulous dinner party celebrating Scottish culture. The ritual began a few years after Burns died in 1796 and over the last 200 years it has become a celebration for those of Scottish ancestry the world over.
Robbie Burns Day is commemorated with Burns' poetry, Scottish music, and plenty of food and drink. The night's menu often includes single malt scotch, teeters and nips (mashed potatoes and turnips), and the highlight of the evening: the Scottish delicacy of haggis. In fact, Burns' second-most famous poem is entitled Address to a Haggis.
Ah, the haggis. Perhaps this Robbie Burns website puts it best: "The naturally queasy may balk, while those with heavily girded stomachs experience thunderous rumblings." Haggis is basically a gigantic sausage - it is traditionally made with a sheep's stomach as a casing. The sheep's edible organs, such as liver and lungs, are cooked first and then chopped up and stuffed into the stomach, along with oats, onions, and spices. It can also be made from other animals, like lamb and cow.
As reader James Armstrong points out, "Finding haggis in the U.S. can be a bit of a problem, so I would imagine that you saw a number of searches for haggis last week as well." He's right -- haggis searches peaked last week, as the Scottish dish received as many searches as the blander American restaurant Burger King.
As for Burns himself, the man and his holiday received as many searches last week as the Civil War and Mardi Gras. He received 82 percent of queries for people named Burns last week: Jazz director Ken Burns was second with 12 percent, and Blues Clues actor Steve Burns was third with 2.6 percent.
If you are interested in more on Scottish culture, check out these articles on Scotland and Scottish literature, or search for Scottish food at Lycos Recipes. And thanks again to all those Lycos readers who responded and helped with this article.
