Duck Season: Eating, Drinking, and Other Misadventures in Gascony—France's Last Best Place

This historic area of Gascony, France, is best known for its hearty culinary delights and rural traditions. Chicago magazine features editor and food writer McAninch, who likes to cook as much as he likes to eat, takes his wife and young daughter to the small Gascon town of Plaisance du Gers for eight months, where he spends his time cooking, eating, and drinking with the often colorful locals. He herds sheep; hunts pigeons; joins the local, all-male cooking (and drinking) club; and works in a vineyard. He learns to make several local dishes with his Gascon friends, including duck confit, a traditional soup called garbure, and gâteau à la broche, a cake made on a spit in front of an open fire. Several classic Gascon recipes are included. McAninch's knowledge of Gascony's history and traditions provides plenty of interesting background to this story of mouth-watering dishes and new friends.