Reverse Chinese Burns

Ah, those days at primary school, when children went around testing each others tolerance to pain by administering a 'Chinese burn'. To anyone who wants reminding, this infliction of pain involves gripping the victims wrists tightly with both hands and twisting in opposite directions, stretching the skin until they scream - how delightful. To actually carry out a reversed Chinese burn is probably quite difficult, unless maybe you are ambidextrous. A right handed person will twist their right hand forward and away from them, while simultaneously twisting their left hand back towards themselves. Try rotating your hands in reverse and its not so easy.

And...... I hear you thinking, what is all this about? I wondered the same myself.

Its actually about two celebrations that occurred this week. Those of a Chinese and Scottish nationality will know what I'm referring to.

On Monday, 23 January, the Chinese celebrated their New Year, welcoming in the year of the Dragon. Tonight, 25 January, anyone of Scottish ancestry will be celebrating the life and poetry of one of its most famous sons Robert Burns, who was born on this day in 1759. The traditional Burns night supper comprises eating  haggis and drinking Scotch whiskey as if you didn't know.

The connection to all this is of a dietary nature. You see while shopping last Saturday, I noticed some haggis in the local butchers. This elicited an impulse buy on the grounds that I'd not eaten any for a while and I'm rather partial to a bit of haggis, neaps and tatties.

Given Sunday-Monday was Chinese New Year, I should have celebrated by cooking a Chinese style dinner. However, I realised I'd not got any meat from the freezer to thaw and the only thing available was the haggis! Thus I had my Burns Night meal (minus the whiskey) on Chinese New Year and have just had my Chinese New Year meal tonight - hence a celebration in reverse!

Hello, ..... is there anybody there? Oh, they all seem to have left or fallen asleep! zzzzzzzzzzzz