Duck Confit gets an Olive Oil Drizzle

I found myself in a very fortunate situation at The Spotted Pig in NYC’s hip Meatpacking District a few days ago.  Because of Electrolux’ generosity  I flew to NYC along with 14 other food bloggers to help Kelly Ripa and Cake Boss Buddy Valastro raise awareness and funds for ovarian cancer research.   Electrolux launched their US line of kitchen appliances two years ago, and they wanted us to see them in action, so they put together a dinner at The Spotted Pig. 

Not only that, but they convinced head chef April Bloomfield to demonstrate the appliances while she cooked for us in a private open kitchen at the restaurant.  I think the shutterflash descent of 15 foodbloggers into the cozy demo space probably startled the chef and her crew just a touch, but they didn’t let it phase them and proceeded to whip up decadent delights perfect for showcasing Electrolux’ versatile appliances. 

The first thing that resonated with me about the Electrolux appliances was oven racks that pull out using a track and caster system.  My current oven racks make jangling clanging noise everytime I pry them from their chambers and I’ve gotten so sick of the sound waking the baby that I simply shove everything in without pulling the racks out at the risk of third degree burns.  Their racks glide out like a contestant on So You Think You Can Dance- all smooth, elegant and perfect-like.  Another amazing feature on their gas cooktop was the ability for a single burner to go from 450 btu to 18,000 btu.  This is especially crucial when you want to crank something up high (if you’re cooking in a large-volume pot for instance) but once it’s cooked it needs to simmer on warm for a long time. 

The design is unparalleled in the industry and their sleekness and function proves it.  They are styled in Italy and engineered in Germany, so you truly have the best of the Old World in the heart of your kitchen.  Have I mentioned their induction cooktops? Many people say that once you go induction you never go back, and I’m tempted to jump on the bandwagon. You can boil a pot of water in under a minute, the surface is smooth and easy to keep clean, and the heat is even-Steven unlike the peaks and valleys of gas cooking.  I’m still a gas girl, but I sure would love to have both! 

April made a hearty root vegetable soup for us to get a good idea of just how fast the heavy-hitter burners reduce parsnips and rutabagas to a tender state, and wow was it ever good. 

She followed up with duck confit, which was of special interest to me since I recently made my own confit. 

I loved how salty and crisp she was able to get the skin, and I noted with pleasure the flavor difference of the duck species she used (Peking) versus mine (Moulard).  I still think moulard breasts are better to confit in the sous vide since they have so much more fat, but the Peking legs had a great, musky flavor. 

Our stalkerazzi flashbulbs were going off left and right yet April never wavered in her competence, and I was very impressed with her calm hands, even keel, and hearty creativity in the kitchen.  She had made an assortment of passed appetizers for us to nibble on when we arrived, and I’m only sad we didn’t get to see that process as well. 

After we left The Spotted Pig we converged upon the rooftop lounge at Hotel Gansevoort for a blogger foodie gift exchange.  We were all from different parts of the country, so each of us brought food-related gifts reflecting our geography.  Being from Seattle I brought coffee (NOT Starbucks!), smoked salmon, a tin of my homemade salt, and some locally-made fudge.  I received some very authentic-looking chili and Texas caramel candies from Megan from Texas who has this blog. 

look at that smoke

The main reason for Elextrolux bringing us lucky souls out to NYC was to raise awareness for ovarian cancer research.  I’ve already written about the amazing cake decorating event we participated in along with Kelly Ripa and Buddy Valastro, but I wanted to remind you to go out to the Kelly Confidential site and vote on your favorite cake (mine is “Here Comes the Sun”).  It’s free and easy to vote, and every time you do Electrolux will donate a dollar to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.