Recipe from Decades Of Decadence, by Rebecca Klemke. This original recipe is written in my Great Aunt Sally Gallinari’s traditional penmanship; old-school style where you write with the entire arm, not the fingers and wrist. This recipe is a classic holiday cocktail our family made throughout December’s festivities. It feels like sipping on a little holiday spirit. Brandy Alexander’s richness and density almost makes for a meal in itself and can be a great substitute for dessert. Our family serves Brandy Alexander pre-dinner — displayed in a large bowl surrounded by cocktail glasses and a ladle to serve. Festive times call for festive measures, and with so many people in a large family, feeling the joy can be a challenge not for the faint of heart. But, it boils down to pure decadence and a few drinks to help lighten up! I always use a really nice Brandy or Cognac, such as St-Rémy or Courvoisier. Although they are expensive, I feel quality is best especially since we indulge in this treat only once a year. Though be careful — these can easily get you a little tipsy.

Brandy Alexander

• 1/2 oz dark crème de cacao (substitution: dark godiva or other dark chocolate liqueur)
• 1/2 oz brandy or cognac
• 2 oz heavy cream (Sally uses whipping cream of course, the rest of us use 1/2 & 1/2 cream, homogenized milk, or 2% milk)
• pinch nutmeg

Shake well with cracked ice. Serve in a beautiful glass. Sprinkle with nutmeg.

If ice is not strained out it will dilute the drink too much. Personally, I like my Brandy Alexander a little watered down; otherwise I’m stuffed after two with no room for good food. Start a celebration off on the right foot, but watch out – these can get slightly dangerous!

For generations Rebecca Klemke’s family has been dedicated to a very simple goal: finding, cooking, eating, and sharing epic eats. Over Rebecca Klemke’s university years, prior to her Grandma, Lois O’Connor, going completely blind, the two committed to a journey. They spent countless hours over three years preserving her Grandma’s anthology of recipes – transcribing hundreds of classic and most cherished family dishes, compiling them legibly in an attempt to allow the passion for great food to live on. Over cups of tea, cookies and long afternoons, Rebecca Klemke unlocked the secrets behind each dirty cocktail napkin formula and learned about the fantastic expedition that was her Grandmother’s life. It was a journey – a voyage back into her Grandma’s era, where stories were told, personal experiences shared, and flavours of mouth-watering recipes captured. Their endeavor was a success; a cookbook has been created. Decades Of Decadence is a family’s collection of favourite and truly decadent recipes that have been loved and past down over decades. A cookbook that literally speaks of the decades of decadence that was Rebecca’s Grandma’s way of life. It is an abundance of epic eats.

Rebecca from RKKitchen has kindly provided us with two holiday recipes that we are sure your family will love! Duck L’Orange with Grand Marnier Sauce and Brandy Alexander.

Duck à L’Orange With Grand Marnier Sauce

Recipe from Decades Of Decadence (pg. 291), by Rebecca Klemke.

Ducks and geese are extremely high in fat relative to other poultry, which means they must be roasted at higher temperatures, at least for the initial period, to render as much fat from the skin as possible. Duck and geese skins are often pricked before roasting, so that rendered fat can escape. This helps create crispy skin as well as producing excellent pan drippings. Duck pairs nicely with Wild Rice (Decades Of Decadence pg. 198, by Rebecca Klemke).

approximately 3 servings

1 domestic duck, approximately 5.5 lb (2.5kg)

For The Cavity

salt
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 oranges, halved and quartered
6 peppercorns

For The Exterior

1 large clove garlic, minced finely
1/2 tsp. garlic powder or garlic salt
2–3 tsp. sea salt
orange marmalade, about 2–4 Tbsp.

Grand Marnier Sauce

2 Tbsp. duck dripping
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. orange rind, grated
2/3 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed
3 Tbsp. Grand Marnier

(substitution: Cointreau or other orange liquor)

Preheat oven to 425°F and position oven rack on its lowest level.

Wash, drain, and dry the duck cavity. Make stock with the duck giblets for pan gravy (Decades Of Decadence pg. 273, by Rebecca Klemke). Remove any visible excess fat from the duck.

Rub inside well with 1/4 orange before stuffing. Salt and fill cavity with garlic, oranges, and peppercorns. Rub outside skin with minced garlic, garlic powder, and salt. Truss with string (Decades Of Decadence pg. 271, by Rebecca Klemke). Prick the duck with a sharp fork multiple times so liquefied fat will drain off during cooking. Place duck breast side up on an elevated rack in a roasting pan. Roast uncovered.

Rubbing the duck’s exterior well with salt helps to crisp the skin.

Fire the duck in the center of the oven. Roast for 15 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and cook for 2 hours. After the first hour, prick skin with a sharp fork quickly and continue roasting for another hour. Glaze the duck in the last 30 minutes of roasting by spreading orange marmalade over the skin. Test for doneness.

Total cooking time 21/4–21/2 hours.

Remove duck from roasting pan and rest in a warm place for 15–25 minutes.

Drain off most of the fat from the roasting pan. Make pan gravy in the roasting pan (Decades Of Decadence pg. 447, by Rebecca Klemke).

For The Grand Marnier Sauce

From the roasting pan, collect 2 Tbsp. pan drippings. In a saucepan combine pan drippings with all sauce ingredients except liquor. Bring to a light boil and cook on medium-high heat, uncovered, for 3 minutes. Stir frequently. Remove from heat and stir in liquor. Reserve until needed. Serve Grand Marnier Sauce hot over duck.

Sauce can be prepared 15 minutes before the duck is fully cooked in a small saucepan. Obtain duck drippings when spreading orange marmalade over the skin.