Duck fat is the new bacon fat

I went to a Basque wine tasting/food pairing last night at European Vine Selections with my foodie friend Elise. The wines were great and the food was bananas. Check out the menu:

• Sliced Green Pears with Flor de Sel
• Salad of Bitter Greens with Truffle Vinaigrette
• Seared Muscovy Duck Breast with Caramel-Vinegar Sauce
• Wilted Red Cabbage with Chestnuts & Watercress
• Sarlat Potatoes with Hachis
• Stewed Quince with Bay-Scented Cream

The chef from Feast was just wonderful, adding fresh fennel seeds from a plant she found at 19th & Roy to the pears. Several dishes were cooked in the duck fat from the breasts she served and it was beyond decadent. The stewed quince with cream filled my mouth with fall and I'm eager to whip up a harvest crisp now.

I highly recommend looking into these informal events at European Vine Selections. It was a small, friendly crowd talking food and politics; I can't wait to go back.