Birthday Celebrations

Dinner was four courses. The first was heavy: a cauliflower polenta with roasted maitake mushrooms and scallions. I used fresh chicken stock and the flavor was stronger than I had anticipated, almost overshadowing the delicate cauliflower signature. It was good.

Second course was the 'main' course, and I didn't eff-around this time: Muscovy duck breast. I even butter-basted it with thyme... Start with the oven at 500 degrees, pat dry and season the duck breasts liberally with salt and pepper on both sides. Then oil the pan and get it screaming hot. When the oil just starts to smoke, put the breasts on, skin-side down. It won't stick if you've waited long enough. After about thirty seconds, put it into the oven.

Once the skin is golden, take it out and put the pan back on the fire--high flame. Turn the breasts over, put in two tbsp butter and a large sprig of fresh thyme. Position the duck, the butter, and the thyme, on the far side of the pan---the top---and tip that side up. As the butter melts, spoon the oil back over the overturned breasts. The butter will foam and turn the golden skin a deep and dark orange-gold. Let rest for ten to fifteen minutes. Medium-rare bird...words fail to describe it...

Third course was a roasted beet and goat cheese salad. We found both golden and candy-striped beets; the candy-stripes I haven't seen very often since leaving New York.

Dessert was roasted pears with apricots and pistachios. The sauce was a mix of wine and sugar and cardamon, and the cardamon wasn't overpowering.

Earlier, at the aquarium, we were trying to figure out who was having a better time: the babies from Corrie's mommy-group (who had accepted my invitation to a birthday-party trip to the Aquarium), or me: