Ruth Pretty Duck & Pinot Show - The Wandering Palate

The Wandering Palate was in good form demonstrating ‘Wife’s Legendary Duck Curry’ at the eponymous Ruth Pretty Cooking School, expanded to the full duck banquet and paired with some fabulous pinot noirs from Paul Pretty’s cellar.

It was a fun day in the beautiful homestead and gardens of the Pretty’s Te Horo property on the Kapiti Coast, and how was the weather – a glorious sunny day nudging 18 degrees – in the dead of winter!

I’m in the middle of writing an extensive piece covering the whole event and have loads of pictures to share, however there’s all number of pressing deadlines and this is now in the queue but I wanted to share a couple of snaps – so scroll down, and more soon…

Ruth Pretty Duck Pinot Show - Dragons Restaurant

Dragons Restaurant - our top secret source of Chinese Roast Duck in Wellington - well no longer a secret!

Ruth Pretty Duck Pinot Show - Ducks in a row

All the ducks in a row

prepping ducks with Ruth Pretty's chef team

Ruth Pretty Duck Pinot Show - Apprentice getting tips

Our apprentice chef getting tips on duck prep

Ruth Pretty Duck Pinot Show - prepping Chinese Veg

Prepping Chinese Veg

Ruth Pretty Duck Pinot Show - Curtis with Chef cooking duck soup

Yes, I am actually working/cooking too! Got straight off the plane from Oz and we prepped and cooked until 8.30pm - great team effort

Ruth Pretty Duck Pinot Show checking out the curry

Guru Chef Ruth Pretty checking out the curry

The Wandering Palate entertaining the crowd - we had a lot of fun and now have a team of duck curry enthusiasts

Ruth Pretty Duck Pinot Show - Taste test

And now for the taste test - a long duck banquet lunch

Ruth Pretty Duck Pinot Show - Duck Saland - a big hit

Duck Salad - a big hit

Ruth Pretty Duck Pinot Show - Duck Soup being plated

Duck Soup being plated up

Ruth Pretty Duck Pinot Show - Pièce de résistance

Pièce de résistance

Ruth Pretty Duck Pinot Show - Chinese Veg for 28

Cooking Chinese Veg for 28 people in one hit - not so easy

Ruth Pretty Duck Pinot Show - Even our local gastronomic blogger is impressed

Even our local gastronomic blogger is impressed

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By Curtis Marsh | Produce | Related to: duck curry, Ruth Pretty Cooking School, Wellington |

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From a lost play by Eubulos, (c.405 BC - c.335 BC)
‘For sensible men I prepare only three kraters (large vase used to mix wine): one for health (which they drink first), the second for love and pleasure, and the third for sleep. After the third one is drained, wise men go home.

The fourth krater is not mine any more - it belongs to bad behaviour; the fifth is for shouting; the sixth is for rudeness and insults; the seventh is for fights; the eighth is for breaking the furniture; the ninth is for depression; the tenth is for madness and unconsciousness.’

"In many ways, the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgment. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read.

But the bitter truth we critics must face is that, in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is more meaningful than our criticism designating it so. But there are times when a critic truly risks something, and that is in the discovery and defence of the new.”

As uttered by the vitriolic restaurant critic Anton Ego, in the film “Ratatouille”, after his epiphany.