Adorable Ducks In Family Lunch Reunion

Duck is marvelous that way. With its jacket of fat and its firm, red flesh, it appeals to a carnivore's appetite more than chicken ever could. This has to do, mostly, with the duck's lifestyle: Unlike chickens, ducks are migratory meaning they've evolved to use their bodies for long, difficult journeys.

That history of prolonged exertion gives ducks lean, strong muscles, especially those of the hard-working breasts, which have a deep red wine color and almost chewy texture. Duck are waterfowl, so they also need ample fat to insulate their bodies in cold waters.

Concentrated mostly in a thick layer under the skin, but also within the liver, that delicious fat is both duck's siren song and—to anyone who's tried to roast one only to end up with an overcooked bird and a pan full of smoking fat—its handicap. Speaking as someone who's survived more than a few runins with burning duck fat, I can avow that this bird rewards the persevering cook with innumerable pleasures.