Duck Breast with a Wild Cherry Port Reduction

Feel like REALLY making an impression? Make duck breast! Perfect for special occasions or if you just really want to show someone you can REALLY cook (without the stress). Feel free to leave a question, comment or even a request!

Ingredients:
2 Duck Breasts
Sea Salt and Pepper
1 tbls butter
1 chopped shallot
1 cup chicken broth (any broth will work)
¾ Cup Port
1 tsp of corn starch
12-24 Pitted Cherries (canned or fresh)
1 thyme sprig

Directions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees
- Score skin side of breast
- Season both sides with a generous portion of salt and pepper
- Lay skin side down on a nonstick pan starting from room temperature and SLOWLY raise the heat over 6-8 minutes or until golden brown and most of the fat has rendered out
- Meanwhile, in a small pot sauté shallots in the butter until translucent
- Add stock but reserve a table spoon for the corn starch
- Add port and a pinch of pepper, bring to boil
- In a small bowl dissolve corn starch in the remaining stock and add into the broth and port mixture
- Add cherries and thyme sprig, stir and simmer for 3-5 minutes
- Flip duck onto meat side for 2 minutes
- Flip back over to the skin side and place in the oven for 3 minutes
- Let duck sit for 5 minutes, cut diagonally into large pieces and top duck with cherry port reduction
- Serve!

Caribbean butter!

"Having a lobster/crab dinner date? Heat up that butter in a small pot until golden brown then add lime & tabasco for some caribbean flavor! Yumm!"

The Perfect Hostess Gift

You've been invited over for dinner and you don't want to show up empty handed, what should you bring? Here are some inexpensive and creative ideas:

• Wine is always a staple
• A nice olive oil, sesame seed oil or balsamic vinegar
• A cactus is a great gift for a guy
• Broke? A mixed CD (It sounds old school but it shows you took the time and it will set the mood. You can even title it something cute. For example, Sarah and Tristan's Mexicana Night 16.05.11
• Small dessert for two
• Coffee beans
• Honey
• A small herb plant (basil, parsley etc..) are very cheap and appropriate for someone who loves to cook
• Something picked from your garden (red peppers, cucumbers, rosemary)

Woodlot Restaurant Review

Don't feel like cooking tonight?

Treat yourself or heck have someone treat you! Grab a dinner date and stroll the street for a new hot spot. Want a recommendation? Well here ya go! Last night a dinner date and I went to the Woodlot on Palmerston, just south of college street. (http://www.woodlotrestaurant.com/)

My first note will be to make a reservation, not one week, not two as much as a month so said the bartender if you’re banking on a Saturday night! If privacy is what you're craving this is a must, or do what we did and just drop in for a chance to sit at the communal table! Woodlot is set in a two story loft style refurbished garage with the main level hosting a large chef's style wooden communal table seating 10-12 and a small open concept kitchen, an on lookers dream. The best feature is their over sized wood burning oven which smokiness is present in every scrumptious bite. The balcony overlooking all the entertainment has about 12 four seater tables giving more reason to make a reservation.

This is a great place for a 1st date or special occasion as there's lots going on between the crackle of the oven, chitter chatter of the patrons and the homeyness of the exposed pots, pans and spices with a library ladder for easy access. I preferred sitting communal style which gives you the chance for a sneak peak as to what your ordering options are and the chance to strike up a convo with fellow patrons, which can also come in handy if your dinner date turns out to be a dud. On a side note Woodlot has both a meat eater's menu and a vegetarian’s menu which can take the awkward out of things.

The service was great offering welcomed suggestions of favorites and not hesitant about stating their skepticisms towards certain dishes which is always appreciated in my books. Starting with a flute of Vouvray ($8) followed by what I thought was a shy but yummy 'by glass Gewurztraminer' ($10) I was more than ready for what was in store. I ordered probably the oddest dish on the menu but with great risk comes great reward, the Snail and Bacon Ragu on Grilled Polenta ($23), is to die for. The escargots were plump and perfectly cooked and the over sized chunks of sausage like bacon made an exceptional contribution to the savory yet light sauce. This dish is a real head turner and conversation piece which had everyone on the communal board talking and making order revisions.

My dinner date on the other hand was not so lucky, Goat Cheese and Poppi Gnocchi ($19). At first bite it's creamy and sweet with the poppies but after the 3rd you start to wonder if the Chef himself had made it though this dish. I wouldn't give up on it completely but consider it more of an under construction plate. If I had a go at it I’d ease up on the poppy, go for crumbled goat instead of a creamed and add some pancetta to balance the sweetness (maybe even a shallot). But that’s just me.

I'm already gearing up to go for seconds and explore this menu a bit deeper. Between the dish I enjoyed, the service and the decor I'd recommend it to any one looking for a dinner date giving this restaurant 3.5 Spoons.

Dinner for two, food and drinks: $96 plus tax

Hostess Tip

"Want to make your dinner date feel a bit more at home? Put them to work, have them pick out and open a bottle of wine!"