The town of Dingwall in the Highlands. [Photo/Agencies]

My nose wasn't anywhere near his hands but I could already smell it - a rubbery fetid stench, something like melted rubber combined with rotting meat. And when I pressed my fingers on the stomach, it felt rubbery and wrinkly.

As the haggis meal filled it, puffing it up, the stench of the stomach grew even stronger. When MacGregor saw me grimacing, he confessed that it wasn't his favorite way of having haggis. "I always eat it packed in tubes."

After that, the bulk of our job was done - MacGregor and I loaded the haggis tubes into the boiler and 30 minutes later, we were hauling out our dark-chocolate-brown bounty. Since some of them had split open during boiling, MacGregor nudged me to dig in.

I pinched a bit with my fingers and popped it into my mouth.

On my way to Dingwall, as my train had raced past verdant country tableaus and breathtaking waterways, I wondered if the ride itself would be the highlight of my trip. Standing in that kitchen, lamb bits between my nails and a mouth filled with freshly made haggis, however, I realized that the ride paled in comparison. This had made the trek worth it. I was so taken with the flavor, I instinctively closed my eyes to hold that feeling a little more.

Innard strength

Edinburgh New Town Cookery School, 7 Queen St., Edinburgh; entcs.co.uk. Bespoke classes for groups interested in learning how to make haggis and use it in dishes.

The Cookery School, Jacobean Corsetry Building, 53 Virginia St., Glasgow; thecookeryschool. org. Some classes include segments on cooking with haggis.

Cookery at The Grange, The Grange, Whatley Frome, Somerset; cookeryatthegrange. co.uk. The four-week Essential Cookery Course includes a lesson on cooking with haggis around Burns night.

The New York Times