Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Market Update: Ducks and Lemons?

On Monday at Union Square market a new vendor was making their debut: Hudson Valley Duck Farm. They had a bunch of samples out that lured me to their table, fatty fried duck breast, smoked duck and my favorite duck prosciutto, the later I've seen on menus already and hope to see on many more soon! I bought 2 small breast of duck that were vacum packed and cost about $9 - they are a special cross breed called the Moulard a female Pekin is bred with a male Muscovy (Ms.Pekin is the top picture Mr. Muscovy the bottom). This produces a leaner and gamier meat then the traditional and bigger Pekin breast.

I have some frozen Bing cherries that I bought at the market in August and froze that I am going to take out and make as a sauce to go with the seared duck breast. I'll give you a full report with picture soon. They don't have a web site yet, but I'm pretty sure they said they were part of Hudson Valley Frois Gras. So if you are around and can get to Union Square on Monday and you eat duck for sure check these folks out.

OK so now what up with the lemons mentioned in the title? Well yesterday I got my Tasting Table email as I do every day and it was a piece on Shuna Lydon the pastry chef at 10 Downing Street here's what it said (the yellow highlight is mine):

On her regular visits to the Union Square Greenmarket, she acquires local lemons and crates of heirloom apples.

Lemons in New York? I know we are experiencing global climate change, but I have yet to notice lemons growing anywhere in the North East and in my almost 20 years of shopping at the Union Square green market have I ever ever seen a lemon.

Now sure this could be a typo or something, but it got me kind of excited! How wonderful would it be if some adventurous farmer with a green house was actually growing citrus locally! That's a locavores dream come true!

So if anyone else has any knowledge of who and when I can get me some local lemons please let me know!

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