rant: fine dining

[AWvsCBsteeeerike3]

haltz/33/anyone else, re: duck, where do you all get it, and how do you prepare it?

[Radbird]

My grandma practiced this long before it was called an ethos. She was just frugal.

She used marrow, made pickled pigs feet, hearts, livers & gizzards, kidney stew, fried brain sandwiches, pork belly (she called it fresh side meat - basically unprocessed bacon meat. served it. Sliced it and fried it up like bacon for breakfast). I know it probably all sounds gross but everything she made was delicious.

And duck was her holiday bird, not turkey.

[Diddy]

haltz/33/anyone else, re: duck, where do you all get it, and how do you prepare it?

Might find it at a farmers market I know I've seen a limited amount at some before. Might be able to buy them straight from a resturant that serves duck. I plan to start raising some in the next year. Spoke to a local that raises some and he said all of his are sold to a guy that takes them to NYC, so much for local. The local farmers markets I've seen don't have any so I don't know if there isn't much demand or just no one messes with raising them. There may just not be enough money in it to do it. I'm toying with the idea of raising some heritage turkeys but the amount of money that you have to charge to make a profit makes most go buy a butterball. We had a heritage bird at thanksgiving, don't remember the breed, but it was $15 a lb.

As far as using the whole animal, scrap also makes great compost. Also great protein for chickens and will increase egg production.

[haltz]

haltz/33/anyone else, re: duck, where do you all get it, and how do you prepare it?

I've only bought it at Restaurant Depot, but you have to have a card to get in. Also my buddy brings home wild duck from time to time (it's quite a bit different). I'd call around local butchers or check with Whole Foods.

You want to pan roast a duck breast slow to render out the fat cap. You score it with a knife to help with that and not pull and curl the meat. Legs I'd suggest braising or confit. You can find good step by step guides online or on youtub I'm sure. There's a good No Reservations where he cooks duck breast for a bunch of duck hunters who've never really had it done properly.

[Diddy]

There's a good No Reservations .

Awesome show. I hear Tony is a blast to hang out with also.

[haltz]

Oh yeah, I'm sure it would be a great time. I saw him speak at the Fox and the Q&A portion especially was a blast.

[jim]

Marrow is fatty and delicious and people refer to it as "God's butter." Depends how you eat it. Butter is the greatest thing on earth, but if I handed you a teaspoon of the stuff you'd think it was gross. Put it on top of a steak or a piece of bread and it's fantastic.

That might help explain it. I just took a fork full and ate it.

33 - I did have duck hearts in France and they were quite good.

I didn't have hearts, but a guy I worked with in France invited me over to his house for dinner one night after work and we had duck on the grill. He seasoned it and marinated it of course, but eating that on his porch on a perfect July evening with Mont Blanc visible in the distance was pretty high on my list of best meals ever.

[AWvsCBsteeeerike3]

I'd just like to chime in and say the French are great people. Perhaps standoffish at first, but the ones I've met have been very loyal, warm, intelligent and fun loving. Very very good friends to have.

[AWvsCBsteeeerike3]

Back on track, I've only had wild duck prepared mostly w just the breast meat. A french guy I took hunting once prepared whole ducks, but even that was just so so. A chef I used to work for once said no hunters order duck bc wild or poorly prepared duck tastes so godawful. I'd agree wholeheartedly.

[haltz]

I tried some candied duck bacon tonight that was the truth.