Stone Church Farm "French Heirloom Ducks"

[slkinsey]

A NY State outfit, Stone Church Farm was recently brought to my attention. They are located in Rifton, New York in Ulster County.

They have a business raising and selling rare French "heirloom" breeds of duck, including French Pekin, Duclair and Challans or Nantais. Apparently the Challans breed (supposedly a 400-year-old breed once served to French kings) tastes like, of all things, really good beefsteak.

Anyone familiar with Stone Church Farms? Anyone tried a Challans duck?

[adegiulio]

I ordered a bunch of their ducks back in the spring. I roasted them up according to my patented recipe and discovered that I spent a lot of money on duck that wasn't better than what I can get from my butcher. First let me say that the ducks needed a lot of work to bring them up to condition. They were covered with feathers and feather "stubs" I felt like I was boning out an endless salmon fillet. Also, there was considerable viscera inside which made me think someone rushed the job. The meat was tasty but scarce. I could easily eat a whole duck myself, probably two. I know that "factory" ducks are bred for, amongst other things, their meatiness. These ducks were bonier than Urkel.

I don't think I would order them again. They were very expensive, especially when factoring in the low meat yield. I forget the two varieties I bought (one had the word "French" in the name) but my complaints are consistent with both. I'm not one to get uptight about spending money on food, but there really wasn't much there to make me buy more....

Just one man's opinion. One very smart, charming, funny man...

Ant

[adegiulio]

I forgot to mention that I really admire what farms like Stone Church, Bobolink, Flying Pig farms, and others are doing. They raise tasty animals in a humane and healthy way. I am content in paying a premium to these types of establishments, realizing that the meat from these happy animals costs more to produce and is in tighter supply. Often, the heirloom varieties of livestock make for a wonderful dining experience. Though I am not excited by the products at Stone Church, I whole-heartedly endorse what they are doing.

If you are looking for great pork, look no further than these fine pigs.

[Liz Johnson]

I've seen Stone Church Farm's chicken on many menus in the lower Hudson Valley. Only recently have I seen its duck.

I believe there was a story in Gourmet magazine on the farm and its ducks, maybe last year.

[docsconz]

Chez Sophie in Malta, NY , near Saratoga has served Stone Church pheasant in the past and I believe serves Stone Church duck on occassion. I just had a wonderful meal there last night, but I had the rabbit fricasee rather than the duck. If I had read this thread first I would have tried the duck. My sense though is that if they are serving it, it is a good product.

[robert brown]

I've bought the Stone Church Farm poussin many times, which is undoubtedly an indication that I think they are very good. My problem is that Guido's in the Berkshires stopped getting them, claiming falsely that they are no longer available. Eli's has them, but it is unfortunate that the last one I bought appeared to have been taken in and out of the freezer since it was full of water.