Sometimes, it’s the little things about dining out – or dining in – that stay with you. Big little things.
“How can I get my hands on some of those cukes?” was probably not the question the team at Curtis Stone Events was expecting the morning after an Ultimate Curtis Stone Banquet,But there you have it: I already knew where to source the banquet’s hero ingredients of dry-aged beef, cured salmon and a properly made burrata.
Big little things. And then there’s the bigger things – like four of the best restaurant dishes I’ve had the pleasure of eating over the past 12 months.Victoria by Farmer’s Daughters in MelbourneIt might be a “half duck” on the menu, but in one sense the smoked duck at this river-facing Federation Square restaurant is a whole duck, and nothing but the duck. Let me explain.
As anyone who’s ever stumped up for a pricey Peking duck at a high-end Chinese restaurant will know, the triumph of this classic dish is its beautifully rendered, crackling-crisp skin and a morsel – just a morsel – of juicy duck meat. And the rest of the bird? Where it ends up is an enduring mystery, but it’s certainly bypassed your plate.
Yes, chef, we know it all starts with great produce. “We’re currently using ducks from Milla’s at Mount Macedon because they’re consistently good year-round,” says Victoria’s Alejandro Saravia. “We dry-age the duck for 30 days, which helps reduce the fat and crisp up the skin.” Then, the bird is first cold-smoked over vine and stone fruit woods before being briefly hot-smoked to further render the fat.
The cooking is a doddle: the whole duck goes onto the charcoal grill, bone side down, until deep golden brown. Then it’s halved and dressed with a bone marrow and duck fat gravy.over the past year, this one was arguably Top Duck.
Philippines Latest News, Philippines Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Could floating seaweed 'sausage' farms be Queensland's next big thing?Seaweed is more than sushi. It can be fed to cattle and could be used in sustainable packaging. It also pulls nitrogen from the water, now there's a push for it to be the next big agri-industry.
Read more »
Meet the mystery man at the centre of a deepening Australian energy crisisA mysterious entrepreneur sits in the middle of an Australian energy crisis. Where he came from, who he is, and how he got involved has been an untold story until now.
Read more »
‘No place in Australian Football’: A-League broadcaster Ten backs full investigationA-League’s broadcast partner Network 10 has described the actions of hooligans as “unacceptable” and “disappointing”.
Read more »
ASX LIVE: Australian shares to fall amid relentless focus on inflationAustralian shares are poised to open lower, following overseas losses as policymakers dismiss market expectations that a pivot is near. Follow updates here.
Read more »
‘No place in Australian Football’: A-League broadcaster Ten backs full investigationThe A-League’s television partner Network 10 has condemned the actions of a group of violent pitch invaders at Saturday night’s Melbourne derby, supporting a full investigation into the incident which left one of its cameramen injured.
Read more »