Peking duck, pekin duck . . . goose! Only one letter separates a "Pekin duck" from a "Peking duck," so the terms are often used interchangeably. But one paltry letter can be a big poultry difference; these words are both descriptors of ducks, but they're definitely not the same! A Pekin duck is a breed of duck. Also known as a Long Island duck, this domesticated descendant of the Mallard has a Read more

Last night I attended the Zinfandel Advocate and Producer's Good Eats and Zinfandel Pairing. It's a walk-around tasting where restaurants join forces with a winery and offer a bite of food that's paired with a specific wine. This was my fourth year at the event, and there was one major difference from the previous years: duck was everywhere! Normally lamb and beef dishes are highlighted, but Read more

Last week, I took a trip to Yosemite National Park for the kickoff session of The Ahwahnee's annual Chefs' Holidays. The event ended with a big blowout dinner, but I walked away with tons of tips. Chef Matt Bolton, who runs the kitchen at Pacific's Edge restaurant in Carmel's Highlands Inn, showed the audience how to confit a duck leg to make pâté-like rillette. But I was most impressed with Read more

Around December, so much focus gets put on edible gifts and Christmas cookies that it can be easy to forget about the star of the holiday meal. If you want to impress without going through too much trouble, don't discount duck breast: it has all the exotic cachet of a game bird, without any of the fuss. Regardless of how little you know about duck, you can't go wrong with its à l'orange Read more