Butter's Better

Speaking of substitutions, I don't believe there is any substitute for real butter.  Yes, I caved and bought margarine (Smart Balance) for spreading on toast (not that we eat much toast around here), and I use cooking spray occasionally as well.  As far as baking and cooking go though, there is no substitute for the real thing.  The flavor alone is reason enough but not my only rationale for choosing butter. 

I try to live by what I call The Grandma Diet.  My grandma (as well as many of yours) grew up on and raised her children on a "country diet" - whole milk, butter, cheese, eggs, and meat as well as fresh and local (usually homegrown) in-season fruits and veggies, of course.  All of these were minimally processed, close to the earth and still recognizable as single source foods.  I believe this is the way to go.  Period.    

While many of these good, wholesome items get a bad rap, I frankly am amazed at what does pass for food these days.  I'm not exactly sure if margarine (17 ingredients in my Smart Balance), Velveeta (15 ingredients), Twinkies (28 ingredients), and Cool-Whip (14 ingredients) actually count as food, but they sell them at the grocery store.

Now, I don't mean to sound preachy...and, no, I don't exclusively eat from scratch (I happen to ADORE Spam - I buy the light version with half the fat and sodium - that's another topic for another day), but I believe I owe my family's good health to primarily eating foods with minimal ingredient lists containing items that I can both pronounce and would be willing to eat as is (I don't know about you, but I never had any desire to have a sodium stearol lactylate sandwich).            

PS - Watch this cool, disgusting, and hysterical Cool-Whip video: http://www.pbs.org/kcet/wiredscience/video/102-cool_whip.html  

Oh, and of course, how could I forget.  Thanks for the reminder AB:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrvN-yG8P8s

Duck!

For New Year’s day I made roast duck, twice-baked potatoes (baked, split and through the ricer then mixed with roast garlic, Amish butter, heavy cream and aged cheddar and topped with a dollop of sour cream), stuffing (I cheated - Pepperidge Farm herbed but with stock I made from the duck neck and guts the day before) and maple glazed baby carrots (steamed carrots tossed with a T of Amish butter and a T of maple syrup from our friends in Highland County, VA). 

AFTER I planned the duck dinner, I realized January 1st was also the day Ohio State (my team from birth) was scheduled to play the Oregon DUCKS in the Rose Bowl. Of course, the jokes soon ensued. As we know now, the Oregon Ducks went the way of our dinner - duly roasted and consumed. But, I digress.

I am not intimidated by a different or difficult recipe and even once made real Peking Duck (bicycle pump and all – thank God no one came over when it was hanging on a hanger in my kitchen all day and night. All the work was worth it, as it was absolutely delectable!). So, I was recently intrigued by Alton Brown's roast duck recipe (as follows): http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/roast-duck-with-oyster-dressing-recipe/index.html

This recipe involves “koshering” the duck prior to roasting. Silly me – I always thought the salt was called kosher because it is, indeed, kosher. I learned from AB it is called “kosher salt” because it is used to prepare meats in the kosher method draining the blood in accordance with Jewish law. The flaky form of kosher salt coats the surface of the meat unlike the cubes of table salt which dissolve more readily and draw out too much moisture. (Speaking of salt, as a treat, I purchased a little bag of very expensive smoked fleur de sel – $17.95 for 6oz - from The Spice House. I ration it carefully, but is absolutely delicious sprinkled on a perfectly grilled filet mignon.) http://www.thespicehouse.com/spices/fumee-de-sel-chardonnay-oak-smoked-sea-salt

The duck was tender and juicy with a wonderful, rich flavor and the family loved it (proof positive - there are no leftovers)  I doubt I will make it again, though, as I found it to be a little on the salty side. But, I am my own worst critic.

(P.S. I had coffee this morning topped with perfectly frothed milk. I got an aerolatte ® milk frother in my stocking. I absolutely love it! Please note, don’t turn it on before you put it in the milk. Waahoo!)