Copenhagen

Denmark is significant in the world of breakout cuisine boasting top rated cutting edge best new restaurants in the world. The Alchemist is the current chart topper. I skipped them all. I just don’t care. Sue me. This a meat blog. Instead we went to the venerable and iconic Hotel D’Angleterre Marchal restaurant on the ground floor overlooking the Opera and Nyhavn harbor. It is breathtaking. The restaurant boasts a formidable beef wellington. I didn’t order it. The pressed duck comes in at a whopping 257 euro or nearly $300.  Not cheap but you do not go to the Hotel D’Angleterre to save money, or even to Denmark for that matter. The service was impeccable. The food sublime. Atmosphere next level. But the duck?  Let’s discuss. 

I have heard of duck presses and pressed duck. Thinking back to Babette’s Feast. Basically Babette takes all of her savings to present a perfect meal to the people she loves.  That is heroic food legend. I remember the kitchen staff unloading the ducks in wooden frames. That is some other cool duck bondage that I will explore later.  The silver duck press at the Hotel is the only one in Denmark and is over 80 years old. Replacement cost is over $50000 dollars. Better not lose it.  It is solid silver and has one use only – to press out the blood, fat and marrow from the duck carcass to make the unique French Sauce Royale. The whole duck is first smoked on a yakatori grill for 8 minutes. Then carved up removing breast and thigh meat.  Duck meat sent back to kitchen to be cooked to perfection. The pressing renders a ruby red sauce which is integrated in the following manner: