Pampering the crew

[Ross]

last week i asked Nancy if she would like roast duck for Easter Dinner. She said that sounded very pleasing. So today I roasted a small domestic duckling, fixed wild and long grain rice and Asparagras. We very much enjoyed it and Nancy would rather be with me and my cooking then home by herself while I go sailing with a friend. You sometimes have to work these boat related problems in some rather around about ways. ;D

 

[Phil Herring]

Was it a yellow marshmellow duckling?

Very clever, Ross. Sounds like a helluva meal, too.

 

[Ross]

Just duck with orange sauce

It is really very easy once you get the cooking times right.

 

[Rob Hessenius]

Ross-Duck Something

I think it was either T-day or X-mas you wrote about something with duck fat. Croissants or whatever. All I remember was that it sounded good. Rob Hessenius

 

[r.w.landau]

Ross, I agree that pampering the crew helps!

I love duck. I just may show up on your door step the next one you cook. I love to make chrispy duck with long grain and wild rice stuffing. I think Manny ,ate the duck in his avatar, but he won't admit it. He says that it was hanging around all the time but is not there now. He ate it....In the summer, the grill only cooks what the mate/Admirable wants. Ross, the more I read your posts, the more I like you. You are a man's man.Thanks for your continuing cafeful posts.r.w.landau

 

[Ross]

Rob and R.W.,That was goose fat from roast goose.

Make pie pastry with it. Always roast two geese for x-mas dinner with friends. I save all of the fat for cooking through out the year. Makes great biscuits. I cook Nancy washes up after. Great arrangement. Be very frugal for a couple of weeks and then you can afford to splurge for a meal once in a while.For what it's worth, if you show up at my door at meal time you get fed. In forty years no one has left my house hungry or empty handed. If you get here you're welcome. I have even sat door to door sales people down to table if they arrived at meal time. Ross and Nancy hill802 Flintlock Dr. Bel Air, MD21015

 

[Benny]

Ross, you made me hungry.

One of my favorite dishes is roasted duck fixed the oriental crispy way. Coincidentally I had a roasted breast of duck in an orange glaze on Friday but we only get the frozen pieces in our grocery store here in FL. I just know that home grown, fresh and tender duckling must have been delicious. I'm still salivating. As far as pampering the Admiral is never a bad idea but looking at the temperatures and precipitation up there I did not think you guys were getting out already.

 

[Ross]

It was 39 degrees at noon today! No way you will

see us going out in those conditions. We might get caught out there but we ain't gonna go out when it is like this. But we plan to splash about 16th his month if all goes well.

 

[Larry Wilson]

Peeps aren't ducks....

Phil,They're called "Peeps"...and I think they're actually chickens....(They make a terrible mess in the roasting pan) Larry (father of three very precocious children,now grown)

 

[Ross]

Larry those yellow marshmellow ducks

really are yellow marshmellow. If you warm them with some chocolate chips you can spread them on graham crackers. ;D

 

[CalebD]

Ross, ditto r.w.landau AND

I helped my sister cook our family meal of ham and turkey, potatoes, aspragas, corn pudding and salad (I said, I only helped as did my other sister who is a good cook). I was a bit horrified when my older sister put the turkey in a brown paper supermarket bag but held my tongue. I have seen/done this technique before with good result so I bit my tongue. The meal came out very well with the corn pudding being kind of the stand out but the turkey gravy made from the pan drippings had a somewhat smoked or burnt flavor. With both the ham and the turkey in the oven at the same time and the oven shelves adjusted to allow them to be in there on top of each other I guess that the 'bag' got too close to the heating element of her electric stove (problem #1) and may have burned somewhat (no fire though). Cooking can be a real challenge and there is nothing feminine about it. Some of the best chefs in the world are men and they are not all gay. Recently my Commodore has requested that I do more of the cooking as I seem to have too much time on my hands and I gladly comply. One of my main tenets of cooking has to do with the ingredients which says roughly: dont cook with any ingredient you would not eat or drink by itself. I would not eat a paper supermarket bag unless you paid me! I dont even like cooking with wine that is too far gone. So I am RW on this one and being a good cook can be just as macho as hatching a good plan to route the enemy; after all, you need a good plan to create a good dish too. I dont look down upon men that cant or dont cook because I do not believe it is impossible for them to do so; I know they just do not. My father was a good cook and baker so these qualities are not stereotyped as feminine to me. I am just happy that there are those of us who carry on the tradition.Keep on cooking up your posts and roasts and whatever you choose. I'll try to stop by for dinner sometime!!!ps - sorry I am so long winded.

 

[Ross]

Thanks every body.

Enjoy! we don't have time to fret.

 

[jackhartjr]

My Fiance gave me...

...an Easter Basket filled with the little 'Peeps', chocolate marshmellow bunnies, Cadbury eggs and all kinds of othe treats!I gave here one with apples, tangerines, oranges, pears and chocolate (Of course!)Getting married in May, then maybe we can get the boat finished and in the water! Once that project is done...we just bought an old Greyhound Scenicruiser bus that we will spend the next few years restoring...when we are not sailing!Jack HartSEA-YA!

 

[Ross]

Nope ! Manny my little ducky came wrapped

in plastic and frozen so hard I could have driven nails with him. I wasn't introduced to him before the feathers came off. ;D

 

[Ross]

Jackhart. If you want to do something special for

her that won't cost you a penny, take one of each of the pieces of fruit and carefully cut them up and make a nice fruit compote. Most of the fruit will go into a jar in the fridge but a nice bowl full with a sprig of mint is a treat for anyone. If you know how to make a custard sauce, a little of that is a tasty compliment.

 

[newsailor06]

For our Easter

For our Easter Holiday the Admiral asked my son and nephew (Who are both here for a visit.) what they would like. She gave them a choice of Ham or Steak. Not being stupid, and being in beef country, they both chose the steak. We had NY strips on the grill, potato cakes with a green onions, and a little cumin in them, green beans, and a salad we never got to because we were too full. However, we did have strawberry shortcake for dessert.Today, my son, nephew and I are supposed to leave to go sailing in about an hour. The temp is about 41 now and not set to get over 55 today and we have total cloud cover. We will dress warm and hope for the best. The Admiral would have joined us, but she is at work. I am took a vacation day.

 

[jackhartjr]

Ross...

...actually I have gotten good at Creme Brulei (Spelling!)This post sure beats a couple I have seen this week! Thanks for posting it Ross!

 

[Fred]

Ross, that fruit compote is

a great treat on the boat. Keeps well (add a bit of fresh lemon juice and it will keep even better) and tastes great.For a real fancy dessert, put a couple of tablespoons of rum or brandy on top and light it just before serving. Flambe! Or don't light it and preserve the alcohol content.