ANST - Peacock

[Michael F. Gunter]

> 
> >Peacock is terrible meat unless prepared just right. Even period sources
> >have suggested to cook a goose and cover it with the peacock's skin to make
> >a more palatable dish. Swan isn't much better.
> 
> But they're really just small, blue turkeys. What is the right way to cook
> them, anyway?

More like pheasant actually. The problem is the meat is pretty gamey so it is
a good idea to soak them in milk for a few hours, it also tends to be a bit
tough and dry so braising them is good. Unfortunately what most people wanted
to do is roast them so they could be presented with their plumage and they
are not a good roasting bird.

Swans, I have heard, are very greasy. Even worse than a goose. There was a
delightful thread on the sca-cooks list a while back about some folk in
Australia cooking swan and having a devil of a time with it.
 
> (If it involves rosewater, I don't wanna know <g>)

I'm not a big fan of rosewater either, although I do use it for period recipes
I cut down on it by quite a bit. The carrot and parsnip tarts at Steppes 12th
Night had less than half the rosewater called for in the recipe. I do make a
pretty tasty rose petal liqueur though.

> 
> JB

Yers,

Gunthar
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