The time: 7pm
The place: Midtown Manhattan.
Let me set the scene.
John was taping Jimmy Fallon. Blah blah music music, funny jokes, 30 Rock. We leave Jimmy Fallon. At 7. I say, “To the butcher!”. Ottomanelli & Son’s was my goal. I had made a bunnnnch of phone calls yesterday morning, desperately looking for duck fat to make crispy potato and garlic cakes from Gwyneth Paltrow’s cookbook (I KNOW, I KNOW)
I thought it would be much easier than it was. Me being me, I of course did not want to leave my area of the east village to venture out for duck fat. So I figured I’d just wait until we had a car from Fallon (yes Fallon, you paid for this duck fat venture) since it was absolutely disgusting out yesterday.
I don’t know why, but I assumed butchers had…oh I don’t know…normal human being business hours. But I guess not.
Ottomanelli & Son’s, the one place I called that actually had it (an abundance of it, as well) was closed.
Also I have no idea why I am writing this like a dramatic story but let’s go on.
Last week, I found myself cooking from the Momofuku Cookbook…which is one of my favorite things in the entire world. It’s one of those books where the ingredient list looks simple enough, but then it tells you that you need kimchi, and the recipe for kimchi is 50 pages back, then the kimchi needs a certain ingredient, and that recipe is another 20 pages back. Now, it’s not the kimchi recipe that calls for this tediousness, but many of the recipes do, and can get complicated (but SO WORTH IT, you are soooo proud of yourself). But I was making kimchi brusselsSSSS sprouts and found myself in the situation where I didn’t have 2 days or a week to let it sit so out I went, to Momofuku itself.
Now, I had my birthday there. I go there, alone, all the time. I go with John all the time. I think of myself as sort of obsessed with the place, so I can’t imagine what the employees think of me. But I went in, asked for kimchi, and bam, they gave me kimchi. Cheating? For sure. I still can’t take credit for dem mini cabbages.
Anyhow, you can tell what I’m getting at here. When I think duck fat, I think Momofuku. So off we went, and minutes later, not only did I have duck fat, but I had a LOT of it. A TON. Like, I could bathe in it. I LOVE MOMOFUKU. Have I said that before??
So here’s the fun part. EVERY single recipe I make for the next week or until I am just plain out of duck fat, will be recipes with, well, duck fat. An homage to my dear friends at Momofuku.
Oh baby baby.
Ah! I too, love Momofuku!! and the Milk Bar Cookbook! Good luck with that duck fat. I will live vicariously through you as I am in the process of a Spring-is-here-get-your-ass-into-shape diet
mmmmmm word to the fuckin bird chrissy!!!
awesome that you ended up with so much of it, but i just buy duck fat at whole foods.
I love that place as well, had one of my favorite meals ever ! the sweatbreads are heaven! the grits … helllooooo big love fest! cant wait to return to NYC just to eat there again
The fat itself looks gross but the potato cakes look bomb. I never thought id see the day when u make one of her recipies?!
Can’t wait to hear what you make with it! We used it during my cooking class last night, as we braised a leg of lamb. My chef said they sell it at Whole Foods??? Was he lying?
Me also; my Whole Foods started selling duck fat recently. Score.
I guess you don’t need to know this now since you have so much of it…but in the future, if you need duck fat, I’ve gotten it at Dean & Deluca in Soho before.
Also, yummm
I am still getting over brusselS sprouts. Who knew?
So that’s why your skin is sooooo gorgeous!!!!!!
Not to rain on that duck fat parade…BUT when it’s gone- would you consider making a vegetarian friendly recipe (that is also awesome to eat) ? Thank you. and all of at CelebTV love your blog.
NICE! I feel like a mini-winner. That Ottomanelli place was the one I suggested yesterday when you asked on twitter. Not bad for a Boston kid, having never been to NYC.
Do you laugh (as I do) when reading recipes that tell you to not leave ginger in the wok too long because it burns easy? ALL Gingers burn easy!
Ciao~Mike
haha mike
I know you love Ree, but have you tried anything from http://smittenkitchen.com/ ? She is my favorite and ALL of her food that I have tried comes out amazing. I love your blog! It is a fun read and even this little vegetarian can appreciate some yummy bacon photos!
That is a LOT of duckfat! I’m super excited to see what you’re going to cook. I love Momofuku also; a couple of friends and I did the bo ssam one summer 2 years ago and it was like Thanksgiving in July. One of the best meals I’ve ever had.
Hilarious — I LOVE Momofuku’s too! Have you been to Milk Bar in midtown? The manager there is the most amazing guy ever and let me try all the desserts because it’s Momofuku’s and it’s awesome, and everyone who works there is apparently awesome too. This though, is a little while’s away from the EV, so I fear you might not venture all the way up!! haha
Holy Christ! I can’t wait for these duck fat recipes! (And just in time for almost swimsuit season. You hate us, right?)
I’m so happy for you!!!
My hometown (Portland, Maine) has a restaurant that is literally named Duck Fat. They are famous for their Belgian fries which are of courrrseee fried in duck fat … sounds like it would be up your alley, hahaha
I got the Momofuku cookbook for Christmas and still haven’t used it butttt I’m off for the next 10 days, so now is the perfect time to break it open. What is the first thing I should make? I can’t decide, please help!!
Chicken wings!!
Random Question: What is the color on your nails? I love it!
Also, I love the blog and I have used your chipotle marinade for several dinner guests who LOVE it!
A blog you might like: Danny, who recently moved from Portland to Brooklyn, has been cooking through Gwyneth’s entire cookbook and found that it was IMPOSSIBLE to find duck anything in Portland, which Gwyneth requires in about 99% of her recipes. So here’s the post of what happened once he moved to Brooklyn and looked for duck bacon:
http://dannyandgwyneth.wordpress.com/2012/01/26/duck-party-2012/
Seemed relevant. Also, he’s a really funny guy.
Just curious as I’ve never had it, what makes duck fat so delicious? Is it naturally salty or something? Being from Minnesota it’s not typically a hot commodity around here!
I know this has nothing to do with “duck fat”, but do you hav norwegian parents or something? Your name look so norwegian
ok — on an ENTIRELY different topic…did everyone see the tweet of Chrissy inviting the President to her wedding and he asks her the date: “I dunno. we’ll work around you”!!!!!!
I swear I don’t consider myself a “fan” of many people, but Chrissy, you are amazing! I am so definitely a fan!!!!
Oh my, I cannot wait for what you have in store for that duck fat! And yes please do work around Mr. President…hahahaha! Best reply ever!
Chrissy!!!!! I MUST have momofuku!!!!!!!! Which cookbook do you recommend? P.S. I made PW’s peach-whiskey chicken and my boyfriend and i were like wild animals fighting over the last few pieces lolol. It was AMAZING!!! Thanks chica!
Hey Chrissy! This is a lovely picture
I just wanted to drop by to say that I saw you & John while out in the East Village, and I wanted to run up to you and say “ohmagodddd I love your blogggggg” but I thought that John might get jealous so I restrained myself.
Hope you get to enjoy the fat for weeks to come…does it even go bad? …Nah.
You’re blog is addicting. I am a total foodie like you and try to make everything you make, but on a college budget, I have to substitute a lot. Anywho, you’re awesome and you should do a special post about your skin routine since it is amazing!
I totally became obsessed with Gwyneth after she was on The Chew this week. She made these chicken & dumplings which looked tdf! I must get her cookbook now, especially after your post
I want to cook with duck fat. And cook duck too. Yummmm. love your posts.
Eataly also sells duck fat by the quart.
Stumbled on this – looks amazing. http://www.fromaway.com/cooking/crispy-duck-confit-tacos-with-grapefruit-plum-salsa