I wimped out. I wish I had a backbone.
I went to St. Lawrence Market in Toronto and did a ton of shopping today. 4 kinds of dijon. Should definitely last more than a month this time. 8 Jerusalem artichokes, 8 duck legs, thyme, organic grapes, a cup of large black Italian olives mixed with smaller black Portuguese olives (the recipe just says “black olives”, and the Portuguese ones fit into the 250mL container better. Cross my fingers it’s the right amount for the tapenade).
I had great plans to buy a bunch pf duck legs and then one whole duck. Then I’d skin it and render the fat and all would be well. Didn’t work out that way. The man at the White House Meats counter was intimidating. I asked what duck pieces they had, and if they had whole ducks, and the answer came short and sweet, “Just duck legs.” Okay…
…Fine.
I bought 8 duck legs. My roommate brought my forgotten duck fat when he came to town today, saving my confit. Thank you thank you thank you. But by now I was almost excited to render. It didn’t seem so bad. All my motivational self-talk was working so well that I was almost reluctant to accept the duck fat I had initially bought instead of rendering my own.
Turns out they even had duck fat for sale at White House! Available in 250mL containers. they must supply the whole city (aka the 4 French restaurants…)! No point buying it since my Montreal duck fat arrived.
Then, as I walked away with my 8 legs (duck), I saw whole Muscovy ducks in the last display…lies from the butcher? Couldn’t be.
This is not Montreal. My English is not so bad that this man hadn’t understood my initial duck question. So they had ducks, but he sold me just legs. I thought for a minute about returning one of the pairs of legs and getting the whole duck, but then I gave up and kept walking toward olives. It was done. Purchased. Ca suffisait – It was enough. I will render no fat.
I am a miserably wimpy market-goer. I chickened/ducked out. I am a sorry excuse for a cook, but a stereotypical Canadian. Quick, efficient, overly polite. Some day I will stand up to butchers and clearly ask for whole ducks. I may even return purchased duck legs. Some day…
In the meantime, God bless roommates.
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