We started off our days with warm baked goods laden with fresh jersey cream so thick it required the use of an ice cream scoop to remove it from the jar. Both of our hosts provided a passionate knowledge that continues to inspire me now, almost a year later. Kate brought with her a fast knowledge of cooking with duck and the recipe for Cassoulet – a peasant dish consisting of white beans and several different types of meat including duck confit. Neal provided the home, the baked goods and the ducks. The group was led by Neal Foley and Kate Hill Kate runs a culinary retreat on her farm in Gascony in the south of France. In this weekend we followed our food from the ground on which it lived to the table where it was served. A weekend where an intimate group gathered on a small island in the San Juans with a common passion for food, desire for duck and insatiable hunt for knowledge. It was Duckfest that led me to my first experience with slaughtering. It’s hard to say that without sounding sadistic especially paired with that huge smile sprawled across my face. See that smile? I’m quite proud of myself. Yes that’s me in the middle holding up my freshly plucked duck.
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