1 (5- to 6-lb) Long Island duck (also known as Pekin) 2 cups boiling-hot water 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon black pepper preparation Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F. If necessary, cut off wing tips with poultry shears or a sharp knife. Remove and discard excess fat from body cavity and neck, then rinse duck inside and out. Prick skin all over with a sharp fork. Fold neck skin under body, then put duck, breast side up, on a rack in a 13- by 9- by 3-inch roasting pan and pour boiling-hot water over duck (to tighten skin). Cool duck, then pour out any water from cavity into pan. Pat duck dry inside and out, reserving water in pan, then rub duck inside and out with kosher salt and pepper. Roast duck, breast side up, 45 minutes, then remove from oven. Turn duck over using 2 wooden spoons, and roast 45 minutes more. Turn duck over again (breast side up), tilting duck to drain any liquid from cavity into pan. Continue to roast duck until skin is brown and crisp, about 45 minutes more (total roasting time: about 2 1/4 hours). Tilt duck to drain any more liquid from cavity into pan. Transfer duck to a cutting board and let stand 15 minutes before carving. Discard liquid in roasting pan.

Beast isn't the only thing they raise at the Skagit Ranch, they also grow pork and poultry. These are turkeys awaiting Thanksgiving. (By this time the storm hit full force and things got downright midwestern out there. George was leading us on a tour of the farm, but we ended up scrambling for cover, and I couldn't get any close-ups of the turkeys. Although the critter I really wanted to get a picture of was this crazy chicken who managed to wander almost 300 yards in a wind-shear driven downpour. Silly bird.)