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Clan Currie Society to Host Third Annual Burns Supper New Jersey will again join a long list of global destinations that will host celebratory dinners in tribute to the life, works and spirit of the great Scottish poet, Robert Burns. Hosted by the Clan Currie Society and sponsored by The Classic Malts of Scotland, a traditional Burns Supper will be held on Saturday evening, January 24, 2004 at the Grand Summit Hotel in Summit. The evening will begin with a cocktail hour at 7 PM followed by dinner and entertainment at 8:00 PM. Celebrated annually on, or about, the Bard's birthday, Burns Suppers traditionally adhere to a time-honored format, which includes the eating of a traditional Scottish meal, the drinking of Scotch whisky, and the recitation of works by, about, and in the spirit of the Bard. According to event chair Robert Currie, “We are absolutely delighted to be establishing something of a local tradition with our third annual Burns Supper. We are also grateful to the generous support from The Classic Malts of Scotland and The Grand Summit Hotel for helping to make this evening possible.”
A Centuries Old Tradition The history of the Burns Supper goes back to the poet’s birthplace of Alloway, Scotland where, five years after his death in 1796, nine of his friends gathered in a cottage to pay tribute to his memory. They continued to meet annually at various times of the year until Burn’s official biographer had established the correct date of his birth. It was not long before the practice of meeting on this date was being observed throughout Scotland. The basic format for the evening has remained unchanged since that time and begins when the host invites the company to receive the haggis, which is piped into the ballroom with great fanfare and then presented to the audience via the reading of Burns’ classic ode to Scotland’s native dish. The haggis will again be provided by one of the area’s finest purveyors of Scots delicacies, Stewart’s of Kearny. In addition to the haggis, which is accompanied by neeps and tatties (mashed turnips and potatoes), the evening’s menu, or Bill O’ Fare as it is better known, includes Cock-A-Leekie Soup, an entrée choice of Roast Beef or Salmon, and Scotch Trifle. Through the generosity of The Classic Malts of Scotland, the dinner will be paired with an appropriate malt whisky, including Dalwhinnie, Talisker, and Glenkinchie. Whisky Legend Evan Cattanach to Host Master of Ceremonies for the evening will be Evan Thomson Cattanach who will deliver the famous Address to the Haggis written by Burns and an integral part of every Burns Supper. A native of Kingussie, Scotland, Cattanach began his career with single malt whisky in 1961 with the Scottish Malt Distillers - the production arm of Johnnie Walker. He spent the next 33 years managing the production of single malt whisky. He worked in all four of Scotland's whisky-producing regions at 15 different distilleries. During his career, Evan has worked at some of the most revered distilleries in Scotland.
Today, Evan tours the United States as a Brand Ambassador for The Classic Malts of Scotland, a group of six of the finest single malt whiskies. Each whisky represents a distinct scotch-producing region of Scotland, including Talisker from Skye, Oban from the West Highlands, Dalwhinnie from the Highlands, Lagavulin from Islay, Cragganmore from Speyside, and Glenkinchie from the Lowlands. The cost for the Burns Supper is $80 per person, which includes a five-course meal, whisky tasting, and Scottish entertainment. A cash bar is available for beer, wine, or soda. The Grand Summit Hotel is also offering a block of rooms at a special discount rate for dinner guests, for further information contact The Grand Summit Hotel at 908-273-3000. Dinner reservations may be made by mailing a check made payable to The Clan Currie Society, specifying the entrée selection of salmon or roast beef, along with a name, address, and phone number, to: The Clan Currie Society, P.O. Box 541, Summit, NJ 07902-0541. For further information, contact the Society at 908-273-3509. ###
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