My goose is cooked

Russell Furzer

I am sorry to hear that Dr Dalrymple does not enjoy his goose. I have the privilege of having enough space to have 20 or so geese to compete with my cows (i'd say that they eat as much as 10% of a cow). Their goslings are just right at Xmas after eating Tasmanian spring grass. Not too thin, not too fatty but just right. Prunes and armanac will feature in the next recipe. P.S a colleague was a bit horrified at arriving to collect his goose and finding it alive with feathers not dead under plastic film- made some comment about excessive packaging!

keenan lapierre

delightful! 'Tis the season, or as the dervishes say: 'Joy to the whirled!' I look forward to your essays - there are never enough. Merry Christmas!

derekleeder@iinet.net.au

You'll like this. Makes me think that this is how you'd write. Derek

Stuart

We don't eat geese all year round, because unlike chickens and ducks, they will not breed all year round.

Bernard Hassan

Here in the New Rome of North America, it is the turkey we hold sacred, not the goose. Sorry to hear you find it unworthy. If you will slow-roast a turkey, which is not common in the US, you should find it tastier and more enjoyable. Stuff with dressing of your choice. Rub the skin with olive oil or butter and roast one hour at 350 degrees to kill surface bacteria. [Sorry, I'm in New Mexico and don't have access to UK gas equivalents.] This will render the skin useless, just too hard to eat with any pleasure, which is just as well since it is loaded with sleep-inducing tryptophan and also puts a tremendous burden on the pancreas, canine as well as human. Reduce oven to 180 degrees. Use a thermometer to determine internal heat of 180, which may take many hours depending on size. If the oven is no hotter, it cannot burn. Remove when meat reaches 180. Let sit 45-60 minutes. Remove each breast with a single cut, then slice *across* the grain. This should then be moist, tender and tasty. Enjoy it with a good Gewuerztraminer.

Larry Eubank

I take great offense at Dalrymple's slurs against the turkey. Personally, I enjoy turkey drumsticks, as well as the gizzard and the neck (go figure) and other miscellaneous unidentifiable parts. But I understand the wild turkey bears about the same relationship to the domesticated variety as the wild goose does to its counterpart. I'd like to try one of the wild ones sometime, but so far I haven't encountered one when armed. But if Dalrymple doesn't like the tame turkey, maybe a wilder, crazier version would suit his palate.

Penelope Pendragon

Hi Theodore. I think the problem is old Mrs Bond, with geese in the larder etd etc-she believed in fattening her geese(!) The secret is NOT to fatten them,but to catch them whilst they're callow youths-all muscle, no fat and plenty of bravado. Next year try a gosling teenager,grab some sinfully out of season seville oranges, open a bottle of grand marnier and go for your life!You'lle never look back.