Originally Posted by
Rebelyell
I love to order duck when I'm in France. Unlike the case in the U.S., it's often served just roasted with no sauce at all. Instead everyone just smears their duck with a little of the French mustard that's always in a jar on the table. When it is served with a sauce, it's rarely the super-sweet, thick sauces that are served in the U.S.
I never see duck offered in the U.S. without it being paired or smothered in a sickly sweet sauce. French mustard is never made available. I detest having excessive sweetness in the food I eat, so generally have to choose my duck entrees very carefully in the U.S. if I order them at all.
Does no one but me and all of the people I see in French restaurants like mustard on their duck rather than a sickly sweet sauce? Is there any reason for this?
Interesting to read this. I took a cooking class last summer in Provence, and the sauce we prepared for duck breasts was based on shallots and cherries. It was delicious, and mildly sweet, though not "sickly sweet."
The duck I ordered in Champagne at a Michelin-starred place was, conversely, quite austerely prepared with a dry rub. Again, delicious, especially with the red Burgundy (Gevrey-Chambertin) selected with the chef's concurrence.