DUCK IN BED: The new food movement soon to replace Breakfast in Bed

About a month ago The Husband and I acquired a duck. It was stuffed into a bag of goodies that my mom loaded us up with after a visit to my parents.  We LOVE duck.  There really isn’t much better than the rich fatty meat of a duck.  It’s better than heaven. We decided to make an event of this treat. We called it, “DUCK IN BED”. I roasted it so it was crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, then we brought it into bed on a platter and tore into it like we were cave men, or at least like we were at Medieval Times Restaurant.  No need for utensils just a bunch of napkins. It was awesome…seriously awesome.

Last Sunday I skipped into the Farmers Market like I was a 5 year old in a toy store, I love the Farmers Market! I spotted the Hudson Valley Duck table where I learned about a type of duck called Lola. Lola is a cross between a Pekin and a mallard. Smaller than the standard Pekin, which is usually about 6 pounds; this little guy was about 3, and a little richer in flavor. Perfect for 2 people, perfect for DUCK IN BED! Here’s the recipe, and if you’d like to find your own Lola Duck, go to www.hudsonvalleyduckfarm.com

 *note: this recipe only works with Lola Duck, if you use a regular sized Pekin you'll need to cook it longer*

You’ll need: Roasting Pan and rack

1 Lola Duck 

Fresh rosemary

Fresh thyme

1 onion

Brussels sprouts

2 chopped potatoes

Salt

Pepper

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

Sprinkle duck with a generous portion of salt and pepper inside as well as on the skin. Sprinkle fresh rosemary and thyme on the duck and inside. Place ¼ of the onion inside the duck. Place in rack. Spread potatoes and Brussels sprouts on the bottom of the roasting pan. Cook duck for 15 minutes breast side up. After 15 minutes flip duck breast side down and cook for 20 minutes. Finally flip one more time turn the heat up to 450 degrees and cook for 10 more minutes to crisp up the skin. Duck should be pink on the inside, and veggies at the bottom should be cooked nicely in the duck fat.

Serve in BED!

*Note: Be sure to save the duck fat at the bottom of the pan in a jar. Duck fat is one of the tastiest fats to cook with! Don’t waste this simple pleasure!!

STRIPPER TOP TEN: Foods NOT to eat before working at the Club

10)  Canned Tuna 

9)    Onions on anything

8)    Eggs

7)    Lentil Soup

6)    Garlic knots, or rather Garlic “Nots”

5)    Chinese Food

4)    Korean Food

3)    Indian Food

2)    Hot Dogs

1)    Chili 

I'm a Stripper.

Photo Courtesy: Roxi Dlite

I’m a stripper. I’m a wife. I’m a cook. I’m a dancer. I’m a choreographer. I am an artist.

The last decade of my life has been about one thing…following through on all the seemingly unrelated things that I do in my life, and trying to find the one common bond between them- if any. I keep it real, I stay alive, and I discover all the little nooks around me. Now is my time to come out.

When I was 15 years old all I wanted to be was a stripper. I couldn’t wait to turn 18 go to a strip club and maybe get a job. I turned 18, went to a strip club and felt like I had walked into a long lost home. I didn’t want to leave and at the same time I wanted to run. I stared in awe at the women around me, and was mesmerized by the men watching them. I did not get a job. The Power of Pussy intrigued and haunted me.

For the next five years Russ Meyer, Tura Satana, and strippers were my heroes. I was obsessed with sleaze, porn, camel cigarettes, old man bars, and the underbelly of life. There was an honesty there that I craved. I wanted to get closer to the strippers but I was afraid of something. Until two years ago I never knew what I was afraid of…would I get lost into that world? Was I wrong to think there was something deeper? Or was I being honest with myself in the fact that I liked it?

“The Power of Pussy 

intrigued and haunted me.”

I’ve always lived my life organically and very instinctually. I trust the voices in my head even though I don’t always understand why they tell me to “wait.”

When I was 23, I moved to New York and I discovered Burlesque. I had always been a fan of old Burlesque and was very familiar with the history. In every writing class in college I wrote about burlesque, seedy histories of strippers, stag films from the 60s, or the Golden Age of Porn…like I said, I was obsessed with sleaze and usually it was of the vintage variety. When I found Burlesque being performed in New York it was my way to strip without stripping. I loved it, and I felt like I was complete when I did my first show. Three years later Burlesque was my full time job, and I had discovered my bliss. But, I still wanted to be a stripper.

So, for my 30^th birthday I gave myself a present, permission to be a stripper. Not just a stripper…a stripper in the Bronx. Happy Birthday to me! 

To be continued…

"We're actually going to EAT that?": Eatocracy.com's Vintage Cookbook Challenge

Yes, that was the real reaction of The Husband after we went out to get all the ingredients necessary for the Vintage Cookbook Double Dare.  Dinner set in Jello...nothing could sound more disgusting. Oh! Wait! Let's add some lunch meat to it.  Tongue and Blood Loaf, Olive Loaf, and some regular old ham.  Let the 1930s live in our house for one night.  Good thing this is New York City and we can order in back up if necessary, but who knows, maybe it'll be delicious.  Jello was a staple in the American diet for decades! Maybe I should try being old fashioned?  Thanks Kat, for opening my mind to Jello....we...maybe...

Here's the recipe via Eatocracy.com
http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2011/02/28/vintage-cookbook-vault-aspic-supper-salad-challenge/

Vegetable Supper Salad

1 package lemon-flavored gelatin
2 cups boiling water
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped salad
1 cup shredded cabbage
1/2 cup grated carrot
1 green pepper, chopped

Dissolve prepared gelatin in boiling water. Add vinegar and salt. Place in refrigerator Cabinet until mixture begins to thicken, then fold in celery, cabbage, carrot and green pepper. Turn into mold and return to Cabinetuntil ready to serve.

Unmold on crisp lettuce. Serve with thin slices of cold meat for the main course at supper or luncheon. (Any desired vegetables may be used in this recipe.)

DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME! I did it for you... and The Husband and I tried to eat it...but honestly, unless you are over 80 years old or you have an unhealthy love of Jello...it's pretty bad. We ate a piece, tasted the Tongue, and honestly I enjoyed the tongue...much more than the jello.  We then reached for the delivery menus. There was a part of me that thought that I was going to be very surprised, that this recipe might blow my mind with the endless possibilities of Jello.  After all, my Grandma used to serve some sort of Jello salad at every Christmas dinner.  But no, instead of munching down on the Aspic Salad, we ordered Chinese food.

But making it is a different story!  It was the most fun cooking that I had had in a long time. Learning all the rules for getting Jello out of a mold without it breaking, or simply just shopping for a Jello mold! And discovering that The Husband has an unnatural knack for arranging lunch meat on a platter was the best surprise. Yes, he was the one to decorate the plate with Tongue, Olive Loaf, and Ham...pretty impressive I must say!

Here's a couple photos of my finished Jello monstrosity!