It's funny, one of the first critics of
this Blog, way-back in the first few months of its existence, chose as the central thrust of his criticism to attack me for 'blogging ducks', well, I think I had -
by that point - done a post which included the Marx 'kins, in passing (Donald, Daisy & Co.), but otherwise I
hadn't covered ducks at all, since then we've had them quite a few times, one
way or another, and here are some more - amongst other feathered foul.
Britains Turkeys
Turkey, let's start by talking turkey!
There is an urban myth that Turkey was a US import in the war, and consequently
a certain type; the sort of people nearly half the electorate (43∙6% it's hardly a landslide, but bigger lies are to come) voted for
the other day - like to look down upon Turkey, as 'not quite right'.
But it's a fallacy, Turkey HAD come from
the US, but in the 1600's! When that part of the world which would become the
US of A, was still firmly a four-way (England, France, Holland, Spain)
free-for-all.
So it had been an option for the table for
several hundred years, for those with money, by the time it was re-popularised
. . . after the war. As to its suitability, it's too big, too dry and too
tough! Fine if you follow all the instructions for keeping it moist, and are
preparing a meal for a large group but for small family units it's really too
much, there's a ton of waste and disappointment attached to it and who wants
Turkey-curry two weeks later?!
Britains Geese - I'm missing the early, separate charging
gander
While I've been subjected to leather Turkey
in the Army and thin slices of over-cooked 'TV-dinner' Turkey at school or
'work's do's', we have never had a Turkey at home, although we had a boned-crown
one year (pretty civilised; cook in foil, brown to crispy under the grill, slice
it like a joint of beef, meal over = turkey over!), we have nearly always had
Goose in the family, which makes for only two or three follow-on meals and a
chicken-like soup, with enough fat run-off for the coming year's
bacon-breakfasts.
Ducks
Top L-R; Older family, Indian Runners,
Newer family
Bottom; singles and conversion
We have occasionally had a duck, but they
can end-up as tough a Turkey if you're not careful! Done well with an orange
sauce (it's gravy, OK; gravy with an orange and tinned mandarins in it! And
some BOOZE) you can't beat it . . . actually you can - see footnote! I think
the trick is lower heat for longer to cook it through, duck has plenty of its own
fat so doesn't dry-out.
From the other side!
More duck, but not as much 'more' as you
get with Turkey!
Not Bantams; probably Wyandottes,
but they look a bit Bantamy!
Slightly exotic, but not as exotic as
Guinea Fowl (which I've also had, and which Britains
never modelled) might be a Bantam, ideal for a single person or a older couple
having a quiet day by the fire, and far less boney than a brace of Pidgeon or
'M'.
HK base marks
At least three Hong Kong companies copied
the plump chickens which were from the old Britains
hollow-cast range, and I have a larger female somewhere; larger than the Britains donor that is!
Rhode Island Reds - older 'Alkathene'
above,
newer PVC below . . . except some are white
- Doh!
Or there is the old stand-by - chicken;
can't go wrong with chicken but it's a bit bog-standard to be festive, although
there's things you can do to a chicken to make it special, and a few rashers of
bacon crisped over it makes all the difference!
-----------------------------------------------
Footnote; my late father often had Peacock (giant
pheasants!) this last few years, but they've gone now (he probably ate
them all!) and Britains never modelled
a peacock!
No comments:
Post a Comment