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Cape Cod Recipes
Old & New

Poultry of All Sorts

Jonathon Fairbanks House


Jonathan Fairbanks House
 511 East St., Dedham, Norfolk County

Built 1636. Oldest timber-frame house in the U.S.

A chicken in every pot? Well, maybe, but we remember Mayo's Duck Farm in Orleans, Brogi's Turkey farm in Brewster and lots of families who kept a few chickens or ducks or even pheasant.We never were satisfied with plain white meat.

Besides that, there were the hunters in our family who would keep us supplied with wild duck, quail, pheasant and goose.

And here are a few that we do often. Scroll down for the recipes.

Duck Decoy
Original Black Duck Decoy around 1920's
My grandfather kept a Large hand made pine box full of these decoys, handed down in the family for years. They would make "blinds" in the marsh and use the decoys to get the birds to land, and then shoot them.
Flying Mallard Decoy
Flying Mallard Drake Decoy... year 1930's

Red Head Drake
Red Head Drake ... year 1895

Wild birds are much leaner than the domesticated variety. Because of a lack of natural fat-particularly in younger bird -- they must be Basted, Barded or Larded before roasting. Older birds are best cooked with slow, moist heat such as braising, or used in soups or stews.