Facing challenges and focussing on cookbook
BREASTING A DUCK
To breast a duck, cut a slice across the base of the sternum of your freshly plucked bird, hold the feet and tail firmly, insert your fingers into the cut and grab hold of the base of the sternum, then pull up. You’ll need to put a bit of energy into this! The aim is to take the sternum and the breast meat on either side all at once. When you’ve got the sternum and breast meat free, use a knife to cut it away from the ribs by cutting down the inside of the sternum towards the back bone. Then separate from the neck and head and tidy up and wash for cooking or freezing.
‘‘It’s not all about hunting and fishing, it’s about protecting the environment, so the next generation and following generations can carry on harvesting and foraging from the wild.’’
The book gave Georgalli something to focus on as he struggled with his mental health.
‘‘A lot of men tend to hide it. They say she’ll be right, have a glass of wine and a roast, but that is not the case you have to research and talk to the right people.
‘‘I’ve struggled with mental health in the past. I had a divorce, I have three children, it’s difficult. But I’ve definitely come out the other side.’’
He is aware there are a lot of people in worse situations than him, so he seeks to find the opportunities ahead.
‘‘I’m a great believer in moving on. There is no point in holding on to the past as it’s gone.’’
So he moved from Wanaka to Kingston where Horton, whom he met on a trip to Kaikoura, has joined him. But the pair are about to move to Dunedin so Horton can return to study geography and ecology at the University of Otago.
‘‘I’ve moved houses probably 12 times in 10 years, it’s unsettling. But I have no regrets.’’
Georgalli will be bringing his food truck with him in the hope of finding a permanent space for the 7.6mlong truck.
Once he finds a place to set up, he will decide what he’ll produce in the truck as it can be set up for a variety of cuisines to meet the needs of his site.
He is also about to start filming a series of short TikTok videos showing how to cook ‘‘outdoorsy, wild food’’ and is looking at doing another television show, so he has no shortage of things to keep him busy in the coming months.