Mike Beede
Leftover Chicken Skin 7399S'mee in WA If you're gonna call rendered chicken fat "schmaltz" then you gotta call the resultant "cracklins" *gribbines*. Gribbenes are cracklings; the crisp bits...
Actually there are ducks, and then there are DUCKS.
Ping DeeDee, Recently there was a discussion here where you said that you had difficulty bringing the pasta pot back to boil after adding the pasta. Suggestions were...
Domestic ducks (Lung Guyland Duckling) are great eating... that's what you get in restaurants, Chinese Peking Duck is Long Island Duckling. However wild ducks are all gamey, most exceptionally gamey, especially those from brackish waters, and all salt water ducks are clsoe to putrid... in fact very few people can tolerate salt water ducks, they smell exactly like spoiled fish, their fat is much more potent than cod liver oil, makes walrus breath smell like Chanel No.5. Wild duck is generally made into a stew (cooked long and slow), with lots of strongly flavered herbs and spices, nuts and berries too... check out Native American recipes. Typically duck taken off Lung Guyland ends up in lobster traps as bait.
Dutch cooking 7401jake I was only in Holland for a few days and my limited experience was that most of the things we ate were fairly basic, but quite tasty. They has excellent breads...
duck; duckling Any of many species of wild or domestic web-footed birds that live in or near water. As with so many things culinary, the Chinese are credited with being the first to raise ducks for food. Today's domestic ducks are all descendants of either of two species - the mallard or the muscovy duck. Comprising about half the domesticated ducks in the United States are the white-feathered, full-breasted Long Island ducks, known for their dark, succulent flesh. These direct descendents of the Peking duck (a variety of mallard) are all the progeny of three ducks and a drake brought from Peking on a clipper ship in 1873. Besides Long Island, the locations most widely known for the cultivation of superior ducks are Peking (now known as Beijing) and Rouen, France. Since most ducks are marketed while still quite young and tender, the words "duck" and "duckling" are interchangeable. Broilers and fryers are less than 8 weeks old, roasters no more than 16 weeks old. Domestic ducks can weigh between 3 and 5 1-2 pounds; the older ducks are generally larger. Fresh duck is available from late spring through early winter, but generally only in regions where ducks are raised. Almost 90 percent of ducks that reach market are frozen and available year-round. The government grades duck quality with USDA clbuttifications A, B and C. The highest grade is A, and is usually what is found in markets. Grade B ducks are less meaty and well finished; grade C ducks are usually used for commercial purposes. The grade stamp can be found within a shield on the package wrapping or sometimes on a tag attached to the bird's wing. When buying fresh duck, choose one with a broad, fairly plump breast; the skin should be elastic, not saggy. For frozen birds, make sure the packaging is tight and unbroken. Fresh duck can be stored, loosely covered, in the coldest section of the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Remove any giblets from the body cavity and store separately. Frozen duck should be thawed in the refrigerator; it can take from 24 to 36 hours, depending on the size of the bird. Do not refreeze duck once it's been thawed. Duck can be prepared in a variety of manners including roasting, braising, broiling, and so on. Though higher in fat than other domestic birds, it is a good source of protein and iron. For information about wild duck , see GAME BIRDS.
© Copyright Barron's Educational Services, Inc. 1995 based on THE FOOD LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.
Sheldon
