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Gluten free haggis

Published 15 January, 2010

My gluten free haggis hunt is over!

Oh how I wailed when I was diagnosed coeliac - no more haggis! I have to admit, I love haggis. I would eat it every week if I could. And now maybe I can!

Because, just in time for Burns' night, I've found and ordered gluten free haggis from Findlays of Portobello.

I'll let you know what it tastes like when I get it, but I thought I'd better let you know in time for Burns' night, so you can get some ordered too!

Here you go: Gluten free haggis

Update: Feb 21, 2010

Well this has been a bit of a tale. Where to begin...

As you read, I got half a dozen gluten free haggis in for Burns night last month. They arrived in time, were taken to the table with appropriate pomp and poetry, and were split asunder as tradition demands.

The 8 adults and 5 kids were served their haggis, neeps and tatties and we all tucked in and it was immediately agreed that Findlay's award winning haggis thoroughly deserved its award.

The gluten free haggis filler should have been quinoa

Then one eagle-eyed food aware friend said "is that really quinoa?" (that being the filler that the haggis label said was used instead of oats). It didn't look like it, but I was too far gone and finished my plate.

The next day provided the answer to the question - I was feeling pretty ropey, and closer examination of some leftovers, and a couple of Google searches confirmed that the 'gluten free' haggis did indeed contain pinhead oats. Groan.

Findlay's agreed the haggis was not gluten free

It looked like the gluten free haggis was actually normal haggis in gluten free packaging. And although Mr Findlay was adamant this couldn't have happened on the phone the next day, when I send him a sample he agreed that it had indeed.

My main concern was to check whether Findlay's were taking the gluten free thing seriously (there's nothing angers me more than firms thinking it's a lifestyle choice and being lax about it).

A simple mistake

As it turned out, they take it very seriously indeed. They prepare and pack all their gluten free haggis, sausages etc first thing in the morning, before the prep areas can be contaminated with gluten. What had happened to me was a simple mistake, probably due to the frenzy of haggis making in the run up to Burns' night.

Adequate compensation

A couple of days ago I received a dozen truly gluten free haggii as compensation, and I can now confirm they really are gluten free, and tasty too. Eating the real thing has spoiled me somewhat as the gluten free version doesn't quite have the right texture, and tastes just a little 'quinoaey'. But that's just nitpicking.

Findlay's gluten free haggis are great, and they are a company who takes gluten free products very seriously indeed. This was just one unfortunate mistake. I'll be getting more haggis on a regular basis and trying their wide range of gluten free sausages too.

Related: Gluten free black pudding

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