Goose

Geese are an extravagance in the farmyard, eating more food to produce the same weight of meat than any other bird. Size varies according to breed and sex—the female bird reaches only two-thirds the weight of a gander. A mature bird for roasting averages 8-12 lb/3.6-5 kg, and serves six to eight people. Although they are raised commercially, many geese are still free-range, maturing to eight or nine months just in time for the winter holidays. The quality varies more than with any other domestic bird and pale fatty skin and a plump breast are important signs of excellence; old birds get very tough. Be sure to remove fat deposits inside the cavity of a goose before cooking. Goose fat is a delicacy; so too is the liver, especially when the geese are fattened on corn to produce the famous foie gras.