When is a good time to open Duck, Duck, Goose: Recipes and Techniques for Cooking Ducks and Geese, both Wild and Domesticated (Ten Speed 2013) by Hank Shaw?

Now.

Think about a crispy, succulent duck for Thanksgiving or a golden, deeply flavored goose for Christmas or New Years’ dinner. Think about how you’ll collect the extra duck and goose fat to use for sautéing potatoes the rest of the winter. Think about all the wonderful recipes in Chinese, French, Italian, Korean or other cuisines that depend on these splendid birds. Forget the turkey! Go Duck! Go Goose!

The book starts with Basics: how to butcher a bird, a guide to wild birds species, and an important column on Determining the Age of Wild Ducks and Geese (p. 16) – you check the webbing and the knees.

The recipes start with whole birds:

You can roast a whole domesticated duck or goose with perfect success. The key to getting medium-rate breast meat and tender fully done legs and wings is to take the bird apart midstream.

If its still warm enough, there is a recipe for Grilled Duck (p. 36) and Barbecued Duck (p. 38) and Smoked Duck (p. 40) with a handsome picture of lacquered duck breast by Holly A. Heyser who illustrated the book. There is even a recipe for Peking Duck (p. 54) that Hank suggested you use just for the skin and make soup from the rest of the bird. If you are dying for other Chinese inspired dishes with duck or goose, then there is Red-Cooked Duck (p. 114) with hot chiles and five spice powder or Chinese Char Siu Barbecued Duck (p. 137) with hoisin and ginger. At the back of the book are treasures like Duck or Goose Rillettes (p. 180) perfect for giving as a holiday gift. He includes plenty of recipes for duck eggs, duck egg pasta, duck fat pie dough, as well as sausages. Duck for Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, Teatime, and Dinner.

You could spend an entire day just eating duck, duck, or goose!