Grange Executive Chef Michael Tuohy and local food writer Hank Shaw are going, well, beak to beak.
The two will be facing off in a duck cooking competition Nov. 12 at the downtown restaurant to raise money for the California Waterfowl Association (Shaw is shown at left in a 2007 photo by The Bee's Anne Chadwick Williams).
The winner will be named by a panel of judges during the afternoon competition.
The public is invited to partake in the fowl festivities that evening, when Grange's menu will include a five-course prix fixe menu ($65 plus tax and gratuity) inspired by the competition.
Ten percent of the proceeds will benefit the association, which works to preserve, protect and enhance the state's "waterfowl resources, wetlands and associated hunting heritage," the association's Web site states.
The special "duck off" menu includes such mouth-watering offerings as a duck charcuterie starter, house made tagliatelle with duck sugo and duck cassoulet.
Dessert? Try pear tart boasting a crust made with duck fat.
Oh duck fat, how I love thee.
Ahem, I digress.
Shaw, whose James Beard-nominated food blog, "Hunter, Angler, Gardener, Cook" recently led to a book deal, and Tuohy (shown at right) are keeping their competition recipes a secret from everyone, including each other, said Sarah Essary, a spokeswomen for Grange Restaurant & Bar and The Citizen Hotel.
Check back here next week to learn who served the winning dish.
Tuohy also is offering duck hunters a chance to have their own bounty star in a seasonally-inspired meal.
Hunters can bring the duck in 48 hours before their dinner reservations and Tuohy will meet with them to design a duck dinner for $75 per person. The offer runs through January.
For more information, check out Grange's Web site.
Here is Grange's Nov. 12 prix fixe duck menu: Grange_DuckOff_Menu.pdf
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