Speaking of birthdays, I've recieved a challenge for der Brucer's next, which is less than two weeks away.
Every year, for his birthday dinner, he likes to treat himself to either duck or lamb. No, not lamb chops, but leg of lamb. And he would like a half of a duck, thank-you very much, properly roasted and not just some slices of breast.
Last year, running through the list of restaurants here in Rehoboth, which is quite extensive, we came up with just one that served duck. Alas, it was just slices of breast. He was quite disappointed.
Just a few days ago, I came across a cookbook from Williams-Sonoma about the cuisine of New York. We won't go into the detail that they were really writing about New York City, not the state, and limiting themselves to Manhattan, not the city as a whole. And I still hold that NYC does not have a cuisine of it's own, instead borrowing from everyone else.
Well, there in the book was a recipe for duck, as prepared at the Four Seasons. It read almost to the letter as part of a running joke that der B and I have, where you start the preparation several days before serving the dish. Or, as der B would have it written, "Day One: Catch the duck!"
All the same, der B liked the recipe, which involves an orange sauce, a gingery marinade, and letting the duck dry out for a couple of days before roasting.
Today, I made the mistake of asking him what he would like for his birthday. "I want you to make that duck recipe," was his reply. And our next stop turned out to be the gourmet foods shoppe here in town, where he ordered a duck for me to cook.
The Duck Follies has begun rehearsals!
