Days run together between frosty mornings and fattening buds.

Winter becomes a memory; Spring a promise.

2010 began with a convivial DUCKFEST at Neal Foley’s Shaw Island farm where 15 curious and committed gastronomes admired, slaughtered, plucked, gutted, cooked, confited and ate their way through as many ducks over several meals- 15 ducks. The results? take a look here- on flickr.

Next came a more intimate but no less intensive initiation to the art of the fatted duck- confit, civet, pate, terrines and, of course, foie gras. Camp Confit, like it’s predecessor Camp Cassoulet, is a no-holds-barred boot camp in which willing and eager students Research and Devour the traditional Gascon Fat Duck- le canard gras and all its trimmings. For our writer-in-resident’s view on all the fun, check out former vegetarian Dana McMahan’s first Duck blog posts here http://en.wordpress.com/tag/kitchen-at-camont/

What’s next? The Gascon Kitchen at Camont is a creative vortex for all things food, organic, local and real. While we invite the virtual in to peek over our shoulders, the emphasize is clearing on the hands on and real deal experiences on a historic 18thC Gascon farm site. Camont with its ducks, chickens and potager is not quite a farm; my Gascon Kitchen is much more than a cooking school.

This year as well as offering weekend classes, long-term apprenticeships and working internships, we are bringing the Gascon Kitchen and some our French friends to you. in April 2010, Dominique and Christiane Chapolard, those charming ambassadors of charcuterie, are accompanying me on a West coast demonstration and cooking extravaganza- Camp Charcuterie- the Art of the French Pig.

Charcuterie Smiles at the Nerac Market

Spring courses begin in March, Summer in Mid May. write for more information and see our Programs page here.