Summerland Duck


Developed from a war time life saver
into a classic case of drunken culinary buffoonery. 
Starting life in a Dumnonian Duck Pond it became a firm
favourite of all who followed, or tried to!


 First catch ye Duck! 
To save time, grab a butcher. 
About three pounds in weight - the duck, not the butcher. 
Some fruits of the Goddess Pommona.
2 Large onions and a little garlic. 
A good handful of medium potatoes - keep their skins on. 
4 Pints of the very best Vintage Devon Cider. 
A goodly cup of honey. The runny stuff. 
2 Penny loaves or a couple of brown bread buns. 
About half a dozen crushed juniper berries. 
Some sea salt and freshly ground black and white peppers. 
A tablespoon of Spanish Rain. 
Finally, a large comfortable chair and very loud whistle.  

Let battle commence!  

Turn oven to full  
Wash bird well and set aside to drain.  
Chop fruits of the Goddess.  
Stuff one penny loaf up duck’s bum followed by chopped fruits and second loaf. 
Tie legs together - the duck’s not yours. 
Place trivet in roasting tin, followed by duck and put in hot oven for around five or ten minutes. Remove bird, attack with fork and prick skin all over. 
Return to oven other way up for further five or ten minutes. 
Remove once again, drain juices into saucy pan, put bird on trivet in roasting tin with about half a pint of cider. 
Turn oven down to around 250-300F or whatever is applicable to your equipment. 
Replace duck once more.  

HAVE A HEARTY GLASS OF CIDER  

Keep basting bird now and again.  
At a suitable time before end of roasting, chop but don’t peel potatoes. 
Place in a roasting tin with some juices or a little oil. 
Do the same with onions but don’t forget to peel them. 
Place both tins in oven at required time.  

‘AVE ANOTHER GASS OF CIDER  

Add to the juices in your saucy pan, Spanish Rain, crushed juniper berries, a little garlic, salt and peppers. 
Slimmer until it starts to thlicken, then remove to finish when bird is ready to swerve. 
About fifteen minutes before you think the bird ish ready, remove once agin, rain juices into saucy pan, leplace rivet and cover bird with money, oops honey! 
Up turn oven and push bird inside until kin is script!  

AFF A FURTER he he hic LASS OF IDER.  

When you think bird ish cript, take cover and out the other side, cover what’s left with honey for final cripsing. Don’t forget to open oven door before chucking Duck back inside.  

BE A DEVIL, THERE SHUST BE ANOTHER ASS OF DIDER LEFT!  

By now, the bird shush be vell done, veg lust, lust hic right and cook, he-he, cook agreeably drunk. Turn everything off, open door, oven door that is, sit in chair and blow whistle hard. If all goes well your guests will come to the rescue and do the honours!  

Chefs Tip. Roasting times have not been given as this depends greatly on weight of bird or birds and equipment used. As to Spanish Rain think of Eliza Doolittle!  The Fruits of the Goddess - Apples.