Peter E Raymond

Cycle Icons, a cool little bike shop in Jersey. Run by a great guy named Leon, who I first visited in the spring or '09. I was looking for a Enfeild Bullet and found this great little shop that was an antique store as well. On my first visit it was a quiet Saturday, I had rented a Zip Car and traveled down to see Leon and see his fine inventory of RE bikes. I ended up receiving great insight and honest anti sales pitch that basically made me want to put a deposit on the bike then and there. I had a blast after Leon delivered it and promptly put on 1K on the speedo over the sumer shooting up the Saw Mill and exploring the upper Hudson. This fall I was riding up Central Park west on what was going to be a nice little short ride and lost my clutch. Turned out to be a little clutch linkage that sheared off, but left me stuck none the less. I called Leon, explained what happened and we arranged to have him pick up the bike. So now the bike is going to the shop... hmm what else can we do? Re-jet for velocity stack, new bars, bullet traficators, beehive taillight, remove the PAV and plug it, full maintenance, bar end mirrors, replace kick start clutch prowl, relocate battery and go gel cell, and now the day he is about to deliver it I want new bars, so he says he is going to order two, just so I can take my pick. This service does not exist any more. "Purveyors of Fine Vintage Motorcycles" indeed.

I could eat duck meatloaf every day. I would then of course probably be in fairly ill health but I digress... Buttermilk Channel a great restaurant in Carroll Gardens, BKLN. They came up with what could be the perfect meal (not nutritionally of course) duck meatloaf. Yes d-u-c-k, my favorite fowl after pheasant. You need to go there now and order this: mustard glazed bacon as this will come in handy later, next duck meatloaf, don't look at the menu, just order.

The dish is served over a bed of rotating seasonal tubers or maize and topped with a wonderfully large onion ring (I ask for two cause their... so... damn... good). To properly savor you have to cut a piece of meatloaf (made from duck) and a piece of onion ring and then swirl that bite in some of the duck jus and mashed parsnips. Now for the bacon, you would have had a bit to nibble on as an appetizer by now but make sure you leave enough to cut a small piece and add it to this bite of ground duck, fried onion and mashed parsnips. For dessert have yourself a pecan pie sunday. Then sleep for a while and repeat.

I have been here now at least nine times and I have not tried the rest of the menu, it looks delicious, and I am sure it is. You will have to pry my duck stained fork out of my hands, before I switch to some thing else.

The seceret recipie at long last:

Buttermilk Channel Executive Chef Ryan Angulo's Duck Meatloaf 
(Yields 4 portions)

½ cup onion, minced
1 pound ground duck breast (ask your butcher to separate the fat from the breast, then grind each separately; or do it yourself at home with the grinder attachment on a KitchenAid mixer)
4 ounces ground duck fat (see above)
¼ cup chopped raisins
½ cup fresh breadcrumbs or panko
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
1 egg
1½ teaspoons salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sauté onions in a small skillet until soft and translucent. Mix onions and remaining ingredients together in a bowl. Place in a loaf pan and cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, then divide into four portions and serve.

OK now the details:

Buttermilk Channel

No reservations, hop on the F, eat duck.

524 Court Street & Huntington St
Brooklyn, NY 11231
(718) 852-8490

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