Local Duck at the Pitcher Inn
We’ve got some more exciting developments on the Pitcher Inn culinary front to announce.
Earlier this summer we introduced you to our new executive chef, Jacob Ennis. Already hard at work expressing his fresh and creative vision for our Relais & Châteaux gastronomy, Chef Jacob recently purchased an entire flock of Vermont-raised Pekin Ducks—some 60 birds. That means here at the Pitcher Inn we’re going to be having a bit of a duck fest this month and into the fall and take it from us: You’re going to want to be a part of it!
Introducing the Flock
Strikingly white-feathered Pekin Ducks are renowned for their mild flavor and tender meat. (They’re the breed favored for the famous and ancient Chinese dish Peking Duck; note the different spelling of the duck variety versus the entrée itself.)
Our Pitcher Inn ducks hail from Oliver Zeichner and Colin Kadis, who raise their Pekins organically without antibiotics or growth hormones. “They are fed a varied diet of high-quality grain feed, spent brewer’s grain from Lawson’s Finest, vegetables, and whatever they can forage out on pasture, resulting in a robust flavor,” Chef Jacob says.
Duck Delights at the Pitcher Inn
Happily fattened on leftovers from Waitsfield’s very own craft brewery and other nutritious fare, these locally reared Pekin Ducks will be featured in a number of enticing dishes Chef Jacob is scheming up for our Pitcher Inn dining establishments, 275 Main and Tracks. They include:
- Duck & Organic Maine Beans Cassoulet at Tracks
- Roasted Duck Breast, Baby Bok Choy, Carrot Puree, Blueberry & Thyme Demi Glaceat 275 Main
- Duck Confit Hash With Poached Eggsfor breakfast
- Smoked Duck Breast With Foie Gras Torchon & Local Red Currantsas an appetizer
Come Dine (and Stay) With Us for “Duck Season” at the Pitcher Inn
We trust this post has made you a bit hungry; writing it has certainly made us hungry. The duck dishes are sure to be a popular seasonal addition to the fine-dining menu at the Pitcher Inn, where farm-to-table cuisine and warm, welcoming, and elegant restaurant/tavern ambience are major components of our Relais & Châteaux experience.
Come be a part of our unofficial “Duck Fest” this summer and fall here at the Pitcher Inn, where some lovingly raised Vermont Pekin Ducks will be celebrated to the fullest by Chef Jacob and his kitchen!
And if dining on duck isn’t enough, stay in our very own duck room, Mallard, a nature lover’s paradise.