Het Pint

A Scottish speciality for the New Year, or Hogmanay.

Not to be confused with Burns Night that happens toward the end of January, Hogmanay is the main festival of the winter in Scotland.

Het Pint is probably akin to, or a distant relative of, the egg nog. For true verity the ale used must be dark and sweet. The whisky (‘uisge beatha’ or more literally ‘the water of life’) should be of the finest quality the budget will permit.

The Black Bun can be made especially for the occasion but more often it would be a reconstituted Christmas Cake or Plum Pudding to use up the leftovers and provide a lining of the stomach for the later consumption of many and various celebratory libations!

Just for clarification, anybody foolish enough to ‘substitute the ale for white wine and the whisky for brandy’ in the ‘Het Pint’ has only themselves  to blame for the blinding headache and acrimonious exchanges with loved ones the following morning!

Trust me on that!