I'll take the rubber ducky

I have always enjoyed Duck. It is like a designer chicken in some ways - more expensive, much harder to cook, it has a similar texture and flavor but with a lot of flare. Two weeks into my first trimester at cooking school it was Christmas vacation. G$ and I decided that we were going to cook Christmas dinner and since the only thing I had learned so far was how to properly chiffonad leaves and turn carrots into batonettes, I was clearly ready to prepare roast duck. That night I gained much respect for the green headed water fowl (it turned out pretty darn good too!) but it wasn't until about 1 year later that I really fell in love with it.

"SAL-LAD GIRL! VHERE ARE YOU! TODAY YOU VILL COOK TSEE RUBBA DUCKY!" Boomed the voice of my German (or was it Swiss?) Chef Instructor in French Cuisine class. "Yes Chef" I replied and off I went to tend to TSEE RUBBA DUCKY. Prepared correctly there is nothing quite like it. You have to cook that bird on low heat. It has a lot of fat under the skin and you need to let the fat slowly melt away, basting the flesh underneath it as it goes. The skin will crispy up and the flesh will stay a light rose pink color - almost as if it had been smoked. You have to be patient and willing to put it in the open and not touch it until it is done. It will take some time, maybe 2 hours or more but it is well worth the wait.

I have been on a quest for good RUBBA DUCKY for about two months now. I have tried it at Kowloon's in Saugus, MA with coconut and pineapple; at Nectar in Devon, PA with a curry sauce and squash, at Stephi's on Tremont in the South End, MA with duck confit ravioli and beets; but hands down the winner has been so far 'Cesca in NYC. Their duck was perfectly slow roasted with a maple and lavender glaze. There was no fat to speak of on the half bird sitting in front of me. The flesh was pink and fell apart at the touch of my fork. The meat was juicy and tender. I remember it came with green beans but I was so enthralled with the duck itself, I could barely pay attention to the dinner conversation, never mind make note of the sides. Picking lamb farroto (risotto made from Farro with lamb and fava beans) was a poor choice on my part. While fabulously delicious, I did not have to room to finish all my duck and that made me very sad. The people at 'Cesca surely know how to cook a RUBBA DUCKY and I will surely be going back there to get my fill every time I frequent that city!