HAPPY NEW YEAR.....THE BIG DAY!

So now comes the big day! Timing it backwards from finish, you separate the pork, pork skin, and remove the herbs from the meat/bean ragout.

The Duck is freed from baggie bondage (right) and the layering begins. First a layer of pig skin in the bottom to keep the dish from sticking.
Then a layer of beans,

Then some pork, the duck, more beans and so on. The Toulouse sausage goes on top. And it all goes into the oven. In this cse Betsy started it at our house, then about 1/2 way through we transported it to the final party at the Fahey's gorgeous prairie style home in Hutchinson.

So here it is! The crowning glory. Just add wine, some fresh french bread, a great salad and wonderful company! Paula's recipe will feed 8 to 14 depending on the appetizers, in this case italian sausage and hard cheeses....and for dessert shirleys famous mudslide cheese cake. Oh man is this living. We give our thanks to Jeff and Candace Woods who brought the salad and wine, Jim and Linda Fahey for hosting, Tom and Shirley Smith for the bread and mudslide...and especially to Paula for all the work she did in finding this classic recipe. This is truly entertaining at it's best.

Oh yeah, everyone was so enthralled with the meal that no one took a picture of everyone sitting down and enjoing!

Is it worth it all? An unqualified yes! There is no better way to enjoy the company of friends!

And since no one got a picture of everyone, guess thisone of Maggie will have to do!