Duck Duck now Goose

I’ve cooked plenty of ducks over the years. I make a mean duck l’orange and duck with calvados and apples. Turkeys are no problem. But I have never cooked a goose. So guess what I’m cooking for Christmas dinner tomorrow? I’m roasting a goose. I picked up a fresh one from Allen & Company because I have a recipe I’ve wanted to try for years. Yesterday I put the bird in a huge pot of boiling water for 2 minutes until ... yes, the skin got goose bumps. Now it’s resting in the refrigerator until I roast it tomorrow. So while my U.S. buds are waking up and opening their presents I will already have made Christmas breakfast and will be stuffing that goose’s ass with a shitake and wild rice dressing.

Once again Dark was able to sweet talk (read bribe with money) my evil sister into letting my niece and nephew spend Christmas with us. It was touch and go whether they could get here with fog causing delays and cancellations at Heathrow. Gay Scott’s flight to Australia was delayed a day. Thankfully he left me his car and I was able to pick the kids up at the airport yesterday. I love having them here including all the noise they make. Right now Dark and my nephew are lying on the floor playing Resistance: Fall of Man on the PS3 and yelling their lungs out. My niece has Artic Monkeys blaring. The racket is all music to my ears. It’s a great Christmas eve so far and if the noise does start to bother me I can always stick my head up the goose.