La Table D'Alain

Presentation of the Duck a la Presse

The most renown place in the world to experiment a Duck a la presse is in Paris in a restaurant named “ La Tour d’Argent” quai de la Tournelle. Named after what is left of the Chateau de la Tournelle a Tower of the remaining castle and depending on the of sun light glows like silver.That is probably where the name came!This restaurant is unique not only because of the Duck recipe reputation but also for the best view of Paris. While dining you can see from the East La Bastille, then Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, the Pantheon and the Seine river. Just magical. Also known for the largest wine cellar in the world with over 300.000 bottles. Restaurant owner Andre Terrail the grand father open the establishment in 1825 and with the help of his creative Mt d’ Frederic Delair who created the recipe of the Duck a la presse had the genius idea of marketing to number the duck being served. Thu each visitor will get a post-card with the number of the duck being served. Quite avant gard in marketing technique.  The last count from 2019 was over 1,200.000 ducks served. Cost of the Duck for 2 person only is around $ 500 very expensive just for the main course, Claude Terrail son took over his father and now third generation Grand son Andre Terrail  keep running the operation.

Celebrities came from all over the world. Crown head of different countries such as the King & Queen of England, Queen Sofia, Churchill, Head of States from America: Eisenhoer, Roosevelt, Harry Truman, the Kennedy’s,the Nixon,Reagan just a few then the Hollywood movie stars: Marilyn Monroe, Humphrey Bogart,Eva Gardner,Woody Allen, Tom Cruise, Brad Pit and many more.

So today I will demonstrate how it is done. First you need a Duck Presse. Most of Duck presse are made in France with the renown silversmith Christolfe all silver plated.. Price range from $20,000 and a used one in great condition at $ 10 to $12,000.

By the way one of his duck presse is exhibit at l’Hermitage in St Petersburg Russia. Very interesting.

We roast the duck first for 18 minutes to a very rare stage so we can extract from the presse the blood that become a part of the sauce as well the foie gras.

.