Food With A Point

It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of Nancy Hinton and Francois Brouillard from La Table des Jardins Sauvages. Having discovered this place last summer (click here) and then returning for the mushroom tasting menu (click here), I feel rather confident putting my recommendation on their duck tasting menu.

Featuring three types of duck - Muscovy from the Morgan Farm (click here), Moulard, and some Peking, this seven-course feast will allow you to taste this fowl via a number of different preparations and presentations. Sometimes a meal in a restaurant should be an experience and this will certainly fit that description.

The menu is available on January 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27 and February 1, 2, 3 2008.

The cost of the menu is $75 with tax but tip is not included. Reservations are essential and should be made soon. Call 450.588.5125 or go online at www.jardinssauvages.com

As a "primeur" and because he rocks my decanter with his weekly recommendations, here are Bill Zacharkiw's (the Montreal Gazette wine critic) pairing suggestions with each proposed course on the menu:

Charcuterie trio: duck rillettes, foie gras terrine, duck sausage with our house mustards: wild berry, wild ginger and crinkleroot, yellow beet and crinkleroot relish, red beet wild ginger jelly

Pinot blanc 2004, Schneckenberg, Pfaffenheim France white, $19.75, SAQ # 10789826

Asian style BBQ duck, duck egg omelette, sticky rice with sesame, wild mushroom tamari sauce

Juliénas 2005, Moillard, Beaujolais red, $19.85, SAQ # 10367885

Duck broth, duck gnudi with sea spinach and parmesan

Juliénas 2005, Moillard, Beaujolais red, $19.85, SAQ # 10367885

Pan-seared duck foie gras bergamot root vegetable purée, roasted root vegetables, cider vanilla-grass sauce

Pinot noir 2005, Margrain, New Zealand $33 SAQ # 10383261

Smoked duck and fennel salad, edaname, pickled day lily buds, arugula, boletus oil, wild grape ‘balsamic’

Pan roasted Muscovy duck supreme, cloudberry and truffle sauce, crépinette of old fashioned stuffing with duck gizzard, liver and confit, Savoy cabbage and winter squash

Dâo 2003, Reserva, Quinta dos Roques, Portugal red , $32.25, SAQ # 894121

Almond sweet clover meringue, chocolate Labrador tea mousse with elderberry, elderflower ice cream