I recently took down 1943 in the Gourmet 60th anniversary issue project. 1943's delight was the classic Duck a l'Orange. I was excited to make this one, as I had never had it before and I'm a fan of game birds in general. I think growing up homespun makes you appreciate game due to the abundance of hunters in small towns. Full disclosure: I'm not suggesting I grew up in a house where Dad came home from hunting proudly displaying a carcass- the most he brought home was some fried fish for lent. I'm just saying my friends' Dads did, so I'm not afraid to go beyond chicken tenders.Anyway, the duck was good. I'm not sure it was worth the effort, but it was good. I did end up setting the tips of the wings on fire trying to finish it in the broiler, which would have put a real dent in my menu planning, but they blew out quickly, and no one wanted those scrawny little tips anyway. And, come to think of it, it was a birthday dinner. The orange sauce was delicious, but it made enough for a 20 pound turkey and duck doesn't have that much meat. I also thought it would be a good idea to try and make stock out of the carcass, but come to find out duck is fatty inside and out- the stock looked like the fryer trap at Arby's when it cooled. I guess it takes a lot of insulation to sit on a frozen pond all winter.
Scorecard: Duck a l'Orange
Guests: Charlie, Kurt Megan
Verdict: "It's good", " I like it", "Give me more of that fatty skin", "I can't believe my kitchen is covered in duck fat".
Gourmet: .5 Hunger: .5 . A draw.
Totals so far: Gourmet: 2.5. Hunger: .5
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