Monday, May 28, 2018

Duck Duck Goose Trois at The Anderson

I've said here often that P.I.G. - Pork Is Good, Jeremiah Bullfrog's locally grown celebration of all things porcine, has become my favorite Miami food event. A few years ago he added a spin-off – Duck Duck Goose, starring the one protein that may come close to rivaling pork's range, versatility and deliciousness: duck. The inaugural DDG in 2016 was a blast, but I sadly missed Number 2. The birds were back for Duck Duck Goose Trois this past Sunday afternoon.

(You can see all my pictures in this Duck Duck Goose Trois flickr set.)

It didn't look like good flying weather for ducks Sunday morning, with Subtropical Storm Alberto creating a wet and windy maelstrom. But somehow, like the eye of the storm, a perfect little window of calm, sunny weather opened up at just the right time. The festivities, hosted by The Anderson bar on Miami's Upper East Side, went off without a hitch. Here are some highlights:



Duck terrine with a wild mushroom gelée, pickled sunchokes, smoked duck egg yolk and duck chicharrones from David Coupe and Josue Peña of Faena. Really beautiful technique and great flavors.



Torched miso and duck fat onigiri stuffed with miso seasoned slow cooked duck, from Katsuya Fukushima of Washington DC's Daikaya – very possibly my favorite bite of the day.



Fuqi Feipian – literallly "husband and wife lung" – done here as crispy tripe and confit duck wings laced with Szechuan chili oil from Jeremiah Bullfrog. A close rival for my favorite bite of the day, given my penchant for tripe.

(continued ...)



Niven Patel and his Ghee crew serving a momo (India's version of a meat-stuffed dumpling) stuffed with duck confit and mushrooms, with Rancho Patel pickled carrots and a spicy, tangy sauce.



Duck and shrimp lumpia with bitter gourd and pickled green papaya (courtesy of Roel's mom) from Roel Alcudia of Mandolin Aegean Bistro.



Diego Oka of La Mar serving ceviche de pato, foie toast and yuca – not an uncooked dish despite the "ceviche" in the name, the duck is cooked in the citrus, chile and onion flavors you find in a typical ceviche, making a bright piquant broth.



Grilled duck heart tacos with a crunchy cabbage slaw from Luciana Giangrandi and Alex Meyer of La Pollita.



Valerie Chang of Itamae doing a traditional Peruvian dish in maki form: arroz con pato, with rich duck, herbaceous cilantro rice and creamy huancaina sauce.



Jason and Melanie Schoendorfer of Babe Froman Fine Sausages with their sandwich baby: duck in the style of an Italian roast pork sandwich, with braised local greens and provolone.



James Strine of Buccan was the only one with any balls: duck fries Veracruz style, in a spicy sauce studded with tomatoes and olives.



Foie gras dumplings with grapefruit and yuzu vinaigrette from Andrew Zarzosa of Yuzu in St. Roch Market, along with some very goth lucky cats.



Ms. Cheezious' Brian Mullins doing his thing with a duck mortadella, aged provolone and charred pickled onion grilled cheese, on jet-black charcoal bread.



Alexander Powell of Market at Edition with roasted pekin duck and ginger shallot confit over blini.



Crunchy round duck gorditas with tamarind mezcal sauce from Cantina La Veinte's Santiago Gomez.


Seth Weinberg, bar director of StripSteak, serving a collaborative dish with chef William Crandall: foie gras and goose liver pot de creme, with a Plantation Pineapple rum gelée, duck cracklin's, lime and shiso.



A couple semi-sweet items to finish, from The Bazaar's chef de cuisine Karla Hoyos and pastry chef Jason Morale: a duck terrine topped with kumquat marmalade, served atop a crispy air bread filled with foie gras mousse; and a cone of peach jam, foie mousse and chocolate ganache, adorned with a delicate white chocolate feather.



Oh, and cocktails! A welcome cocktail from David Sprintis of duck fat washed Ziami white rum, Ziami grapefruit rum (both locally produced), Triple Sec, citrus juices, black pepper tincture, a Blue Moon top-off, a duck fat washed vodka spritz, and crunchy orange peel candy. Not sure if there was enough going on there, but it was delicious.



More from Ziami: "Tea Time," with Ziami white rum, matcha tea, local honey and lemon bitters.

Adventurous, delicious food from some of Miami's best and up-and-coming chefs, a few visiting dignitaries thrown in for good measure, icy refreshing cocktails, good tunes, great peeps, and enough foie gras that you may start feeling a bit like a gavaged duck yourself. This is how to throw a party.




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