Baked Plank Anyone?

It’s winter in Virginia so the Chesapeake Bay is full of Scoters (also called Coots on the East Coast). Scoters are a stocky Sea Duck that summer in Canada and Alaska, but winter on the Pacific and East Coasts of North America. In Virginia you can see Surf Scoters, White Winged Scoters and Black Scoters all along the Chesapeake Bay looking for a nice mollusk dinner.

Oyster, clam and mussel eating birds sound kind of tasty, but Mama Nature has a way about her, just check out these two New England recipes from a 1924 edition of Field and Stream:

Put the scoter in a large pot of water and place a flat iron or anvil on top or the duck. Boil for a goodly time and when you can stick a fork into the flat iron or anvil the Scoter is ready to eat. Or,

Nail the duck to a large plank, place the plank in the sun for a week. Carefully remove the Scoter from the plank and toss to your cat. Cook the plank.

So all you guys and gals who “shoot only to eat,” get your shotguns out and go shoot some Scoters. I’m sure your families will enjoy the anvil or the plank.