Allez Les Bleus!

A couple of years ago the beautiful wife and I spent a very pleasant week in Paris. On the last day we stopped for lunch in a little brasserie just north of Place de la Concorde. We ate well, as we had done all week but the thing I remember about the meal was the two young women who sat at a table near us. They were sixteen or seventeen and were clearly on a shopping trip as teenagers the world over do. The memorable thing about these two was the way in which they were perfectly comfortable with the restaurant environment. They were at ease chatting with the waiter and they both ordered Pate du jour and Confit of Duck to follow. There was no affectation or showing off, this was all perfectly perfectly natural to them. How many sixth formers (16,17 and 18yr olds for those who don't speak UK education system) would have this level of food maturity? How many would eat a meal that required an knife and fork? How many would eat a two course meal in a restaurant full of adults?
I'm sure the answer to these questions from a lot of people would be "a few" or "my children are like that" but the truth is "not very many."
There is a grave risk that, in the subtle and quiet food revolution that is taking place in the UK, we might miss out on helping the younger members of society to appreciate the joy of civilised dining - yes, I'm talking about turning off the mobile phone and holding a conversation! If we do not move away from the burgers and nuggets, which are the default position of most of us when out and about then we will have nobody to hand the baton of this amazing food revolution on to.
I look forward to the day when two young women, out on a shopping trip to Oxford Street, stop for a lunch and don't head straight for a shinning edifice of a multinational, fast food outlet and instead find themselves a small restaurant with has individuality, soul and cutlery.
On the subject of Confit of duck, my recipe is below. Everyone thinks this is really complex and "chefy" - its really not!

Confit of Duck
Duck legs (1 per person)
Fat (it should be duck or goose fat but few people are that rich, I use lard) enough, when melted, to cover the duck legs.
Salt

Sprinkle the legs with salt all over and place them all in a bowl leave in the fridge for 6 hours. Pre heat the oven to 150 degrees. Heat the fat in an oven proof casserole on the hob. Brush the salt off the legs and slide them into the fat. Cover the casserole and place in the oven for and hour and a half. Take the casserole out of the oven and allow it to cool at room temperature so that the fat all sets.
At this point it is worth reminding ourselves that this is a method of preserving food and this casserole or earthenware pot would, in the past, have been left in the larder and used weeks later. I'm not sure how long it is safe to keep it at cellar temperature so I tend to put mine in the fridge.
About 45 minutes before you want to use your confit heat the casserole over the hob and lift out the duck legs and wioe them clean of residual fat. Place them on a roasting tray place this in a hot oven for 25 - 35 minutes until the skin is dark brown and crispy and the flesh is moist and falling off the bone. For a Parisienne lunch serve with a crisp salad and matchstick chips. For dinner I tend to serve with crushed garlic potatoes and a red wine reduction sauce and seasonal vegetables.