Duck Consommé…is a process with delicious benefits!

Roasted Duck with a Maple Pepper Glaze

I had added an Appetizer to the Fall Class line up of “Duck Consommé with wild Mushroom Ravioli”.
Some folks write the great novel in the wee hours of the evening…I write menus!  So when I was adding this to the said “Great Novel” over 6 months ago, I was inspired for the Fall October Menu to include the delicate taste of Duck Consommé and a tender pasta puff.

So flash forward as our October Classes are quickly approaching.  Running a little skinny on time, I thought maybe there is some source that offers a wonderful Duck Consommé concentrate.  Just maybe on this very sophisticated October Feast…there would be a short cut.  I should have known better!
When you want quality luscious Duck essence…you got to make it from scratch!

So, a little part of our busy day today was devoted to “doing it right”.  In came the duck and we went to work…but here is what I forgot!  This is a job with bennies!  If you love to eat that is!  We prepared a crisp Duck today for one reason; I needed the bones for my stock.  So the bird was cooked and it is such a simple 1 – 2 -3 –voila!  The results produced the needed stock components…but also yielded tender Duck Confit to keep and amazing duck for dinner.

So here are a few pictures of the process and as you can see the final result of the roasted duck is beautiful and I can attest delicious. 

Pierce duck skin with fork all over...

Cover with boiling water  (this tightens the skin) cool/drain

Liberally sprinkle with salt and pepper...okay, I did use a few pats of butter!

 

 (we baked for 1 1/2 hours at 400 degrees and glazed with maple syrup and black pepper last 5 mins)

 But the real mission has not been diverted; we are now preparing the most wonderful Duck Consommé by a slow simmer of the roasted bones, fresh onions, carrots, celery, peppercorns…and a beautiful fall apple.  This is going to just keep on getting better. 

So I will post the final dish of Duck Consommé with Wild Mushroom Ravioli…but only my students and guest will be able to tell us if it was all worth it.  Let’s hope they post!  Enjoying every Fall minute and the sharing with you my friends! 

A Chocolate Story...hard work but someone has to do it!

A few weeks ago I had a bit of a “Goldilocks Experience”.  The amazing Chocolatier, Julie Lachowyn, of Pomona Chocolates  created a Chocolate tasting experience based on our personal request for a Kitchens Bounty Signature Chocolate.  Now when we described the richness, the depth…and the sophistication of this desired chocolate “bite” an amazing idea hit our Chocolate Artist.  Why not bring the richness of our favorite Cranberry Cordial into the Chocolate, enhanced with special spices to elevate the “bite”.  

The Chocolate experiment ensued in our friends’ laboratory…and the resulting tasting was played out at our own tables.  Here is where the Goldilocks analogy comes into play! (No Bears were harmed in the making of this story).    First, all of the three chocolate “subjects” were wonderful.  But with that being said, one was a little too soft, one was a little too intense, and then Nirvana…one…that last beautiful one, was” Just Right”!

Yes friends, it was a “difficult job”, but really – someone has to do it!  The said “Just Rights” have arrived; they are named The French Kiss and are anointed with our own Bounty signature.
Our Chocolatier describes them as so:

The Signature Chocolate, “The French Kiss”, begins with Reserve Cranberry Cordial and steaming heavy cream infused with fragrant Allspice and Pink Peppercorn berries. This elixir is slowly stirred into a blend of chocolates carefully selected to best complement the spice and fruit notes.  This delicate ganache is then encased in a bittersweet cacao shell. I believe we have delivered the perfect signature chocolate – the sweet ending to memorable dining!

And so, because if one is good…two is better, we had Julie create our own unique Chocolate Bark enhanced with the Kitchens Bounty French Velvet Roast Coffee …described as follows:

The Chocolate Bark, (The French Velvet Fractures) features the House coffee beans generously scattered over rich dark chocolate.  This is finished with a fine drizzle of premium white chocolate... a delicate sweetness amid rich mocha bliss. Voila….

So we have arrived, actually “they” have arrived, ready for our guest, soon on-line for your tastings at home….
We look forward to you joining us soon in person, let the culinary celebrations continue! 
Wishing you Chocolate Joy!

'Can do", it is an attitude!

The "Can Do Project"...delivery a little late, results perfect!

I love “can do” stories.  Those ideas that come to you, that maybe don’t make sense to anyone else.  Something that seems difficult, fraught with obstacles, often eliciting the outcry... “Well, that will never work! Well I am here to share a quick picture story that is totally irrelevant to the Kitchen…but not to
The Kitchens Bounty!  We just really believe in the “can do”.

Here goes, 18 months ago a huge tree was removed from our woods out of necessity.  As I witnessed the grand tree being cut up and hauled away, I caught a glimpse of the final bottom stump of this once proud tree sitting in the back of the truck being hauled away.  It was a deep “V” and reminded me of an Eagle,  I had that thought and then let it pass away.  Hours later it dawned on me, that tree should not just go away, that stump reminded me of an Eagle – and that is what it should be!   Flash forward 18 months, with the creative skills of a wood artist the stump was moved to his studio and an Eagle was born.  Today a team of the most incredible Woodsmen …have just delivered the said “Eagle” all seven feet of him.   He is now perched on a tall tree stump…in perfect site of our Kitchens, back in the woods from where he came.
He is magnificent, he is regal and he is a project that was claimed “will never work”.

Jimmy Roe checking out his work.

Amazing what can be accomplished with a team of people that are willing to work together.  Thank you to Roe’s Tree Service Team, and to Larry Burns an amazing wood carver…and to the Kitchens Bounty Team, for never being shocked at what is coming down the road! Here is to the next “Can do”!
Happy Birthday Pete!

HOT OFF THE PRESSES...A TRIFECTA

Usually the only really “Hot” things happening at the Kitchens Bounty are the foods we create leaping from the ovens and cook tops.  The test kitchens are where the action is …usually that is!  But last week the term “Hot off the Presses” really did apply.  With a load of can do, month’s of pushing through, we were finally able to see the beautiful packaging for the Kitchens Bounty TRIFECTA Spice Blend…literally emerge from the presses.  Our dreams of launching a perfect Trifecta of all natural, delicious and very sophisticated seasoning blends is coming true.  The Seasonings themselves are called The Amazing Herbes, The Amazing Rub and the delicate but spicy Amazing Heat.  

Thank you to the great Herbalist and Manufacturer at Herbco led by Terry Remeniuk and team…(a family affair), and the creative and artistic care given to us by Darin Carlson and his team at Americraft Carton in Norwalk Ohio.  It was astonishing to see a whole group of folks rally around a project they believe in – where the standards of excellence are high, and no one even considers anything less!  Who says we can’t create world class products here in the United States.  Here they come!  …and they are delectable!