Goose!

And now two smaller Cratchits, boy and girl, came tearing in, screaming that outside the baker's they had smelt the goose, and known it for their own; and basking in luxurious thoughts of sage-and-onion, these young Cratchits danced about the table, and exalted Master Peter Cratchit to the skies, while he (not proud, although his collars nearly choked him) blew the fire, until the slow potatoes bubbling up, knocked loudly at the saucepan-lid to be let out and peeled.

"What has ever got your precious father then.'' said Mrs Cratchit. "And your brother, Tiny Tim! And Martha warn't as late last Christmas Day by half-an-hour!''

"Here's Martha, mother!'' said a girl, appearing as she spoke.

"Here's Martha, mother!'' cried the two young Cratchits. "Hurrah! There's such a goose, Martha!''

Goose was a traditional dish in medieval times. In England, Christmas--for those who couldn't afford the larger and meatier turkey--meant goose. I, being a traditionalist, determined that I should hearken back to olden days and try one myself for Christmas. My grandmother--a wonderful woman--heard that I wanted to make a goose. So, for Thanksgiving, she surprised my by buying one for me to cook. So, I did. And here it is:


I used the recipe "Roast Goose with Oranges and Madeira", with the slight difference of sherry instead of madeira (which is--go figure--illegal in Alabama). After slicing off the excess fat (which you need to do, since there is SO much fat), you poke the skin with a fork. My goose was about 11.5 lbs., so, following the recipe, I put it into the oven at 350 degrees for a little over an hour. At that time, I drained the fat (once again, there was a TON of it). An hour and a half later, I drained it again, then left it in for a few more minute on a slightly higher temperature, which helped make it a little crispy. Then, my grandpa carved it using the method in the following video, which was helpful since the breast bone is so high, you can't cut it like a turkey:



In the end, it was delicious, and I would advise anyone to try it. The meat is all dark, and gamier than duck. I like that, though some people in my family didn't. The sauce has a strong alcohol flavor, which I also like, as did a lot of other family members. Next time, I plan to try the prune/chestnut recipe.