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Goose Fat Information Service

by duck on October 28, 2007 in Books For Cooks, Eating Out, food, On The Web with No comments

For everything (and more) that you wanted to know about Goose Fat you should head on over to the Goose Fat Information Service!
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Here you can find recipes and information about the healthy properties of this poly-and mono-unsaturated fat, which in addition to being ideal for Roast Potatoes, is also good for the cardiovascular system (compared to butter) and thought to be one of the reasons why despite their relatively rich diet, rural French people have a lower incidence of heart disease.

Of course, any mention of Goose these days tends to raise the thorny issue of Foie Gras.Recently we have seen the introduction of “ethical foie gras” – i.e duck or goose liver which is made by fattening the birds so that their livers become enlarged. Tradtionally this is done through “gavage” which is a form of forced feeding. The ethical approach avoids forced-feeding and instead relies on the greedy bird’s habit of putting on weight prior to their natural winter migration to warmer climes – see the Telegraph (19 Feb 07). This is available at Club Gascon in London – the place to buy and dine on the best of South West France cuisine.

Mark Hix in the Independent (28 Oct 07) praises the improved quality of British ducks and also has some interesting recipes for using one whole duck (French or British) without wasting a morcel:-

  1. Szechuan peppered duck breast
  2. Slow-cooked leg of duck with Bramley apple mash and cider sauce
  3. Duck and quince salad
  4. Duck and cep broth

Great British Cheese Festival

by duck on July 3, 2007 in Farm Shops and Markets, food, On The Web, Taste, Tasting Events/Shows with No comments

Great British Cheese FestivalThe moveable feast which is the annual Great British Cheese Festival lands this year at Millets Farm Centre near Abingdon, Oxon on the weekend of 29-30 September 2007. In addition to Britain’s Biggest Cheese Market, Cheese-making demonstrations and Cheese Masterclasses there will also be a specialist Food from Britaiin Market – “fruit juices and pies, bison meat to garlic..a market offering over 57 varieties of chutney,pickles and sauces”.

For more info see www.thecheeseweb.com

Duck recipes in the Telegraph

by duck on March 17, 2007 in Books For Cooks, food, On The Web, Taste with No comments

Duck rillons, Roast duck breast with cider butter sauce, Duck with dried cherries, Duck liver and caramelised onion bruschetta and Duck noodle soup are featured in an interesting article by Xanthe Clay in the Telegraph (17 March 07) south west france book“She focusses on ethical production methods for free-range Freedom Food ducks in the UK. Given the increased demand and greater availability, this becomes more and more important, especially as ducks tend to have a rather better image than chickens. Decent duck may cost a bit more, but use every scrap and it’s a bargain. With two birds, it’s possible to make two main courses, a hearty soup and nibbles for four. Ask the butcher to take the breasts and legs off and give you the carcass and giblets, too.”
I admit to being a serious duck fan, especially the fattened ducks and magret de canard from France.
Rilllons are “the duck equivalent of pork scratchings, and delicious with drinks before dinner or scattered over a frisee salad and served as a starter.” Made from the leftover skin and fat from the cooked duck carcass, they can be really tasty – and at least by cooking them yourselves you know that nothing unmentionable has been added. “Rillettes” are similar but have more meat and fat, and are more of a moist paté.

50 Best Food Websites

by duck on February 17, 2007 in Taste with 2 Comments

La fromagerieThe Independent (17 Feb 07 Print edition) continues its series of 50 best…. this week with a selection of food websites – surprisingly not including www.thefoodielist.co.uk!
The criteria for selection is never quite clear, but there are usually some interesting discoveries – as well as some obvious omissions.
A couple of highlights for me were….
Hobbs House Bakery – “a range of over 40 special breads – overnight dough (long fermentation for increased flavour), three seed wholemeal, tiger bread, ciabatta, pugliese and sunflower. Variants on these include sundried tomato with black olives and pumpkin seeds, walnut, hazelnut and raisin, green olive, black olive, date and apricot, onion, basil and olive oil, red onion and sardo pecorino, and in the focaccia range, rosemary and garlic & mushroom.”

La Fromagerie – a sumptuous and information-packed presentation of wonderful cheeses

Eat the seasonsEat the Seasons = agreat site to help you to find just what is in season and local, so you can do your bit to save the planet and eat more healthily!

French Gourmet Foods

by duck on January 18, 2007 in Taste with 1 Comment


If you hanker for escargots (snails) , foie gras (goose or duck liver), cassoulet (meat and bean stew) and other french delicacies and cannot wait until your next visit to la Belle France – you can get a 10% discount at the .
With a wide range of items including giftware, kitchenware (Laguiole Knives) – these are all delivered to your door.
See .

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