Prunes that have soaked in Armagnac for six months, minimum. The blood of a freshly killed hare. Nine pounds of fresh fava beans, husked and peeled. A 6-inch-thick bed of pine needles. One dish alone ...

For anyone who thinks duck deserves better than orange juice and other syrupy sweetness, pomegranate works wonders. An old recipe for succulent duck legs from Bay Wolf restaurant in Oakland works even ...