Our pal over at the LA Times, Jerry Hirsch..

For those who don’t know, “Hirsch” is German and Yiddish for “deer”.

I’ve tasted kosher venison once, at Levana’s, during a stay in NY several years ago. It was like a cross between goose and steak. I suppose that’s what they mean by a “gamey” flavor.

Duck, goose, steak…………

Now I made myself hungry, and it’s onlu 9:30AM in Jerusalem.

I’ve had kangaroo

Do you just fill the pouch with stuffing and presto?

I knew American Jewish housewives of the Ashkenazi variety do not exactly have the best reputation as cooks, but c’mon, ducks were already eaten in the shtetl as highlighted in the joke about the poor shtetl rabbi who always invites an even poorer bochur for dinner. However, the poor bochur is not only a great student but also a great fresser, so before the rabbi and the rebbetzin have finished their first serving, the bochur has already finished off everything edible. One day the rebbetzin buys a nice katchke, a duck, for their dinner. However, the rebbetzin wishes to remain a generous hostess but since she doesn’t want most of the duck to go to the bochur and she and her husband only to get so little of it, she asks her husband for advice. He tells her, “Shall you cook a large pot of noodles and serve those first. Then the bochur can fill up on the noodles, and when he puts his fork down and says he’s done, you go and get the duck.” That’s what they do. The bochur fresses away on the noodles, four servings, five servings, six servings. Then he finally puts his fork down and thanks his hosts for the meal. The rebbe replies, “Oh, we weren’t done yet,” and in comes the rebbetzin with the duck. The rebbe urges the bochur to help himself, and sure enough, in no time, the duck is gone.
Incredulous, the rebbe asks, “Listen, have you not just eaten six servings of noodles? Have you not been stuffed yet?” The bochur replies, “Rebbe, with that katchke it is just as it is in shul on a High Holiday. Everything is packed and you couldn’t put in one more person. But come the holy rebbe, and the masses will split and make way for him so he can walk through them.”

Alright, the joke’s not too funny, but duck meat is none too exotic at all. I’ve had kangaroo and didn’t think of it as exotic.

And if the meat’s too dry, add onions to the gravy for more juice.