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UPDATE, March 1: Looks like I will be adding St. Louis and Rockport, Maine! See below for details. ~Hank
UPDATE, March 4: My East Lansing (MI) event (actually Okemos, MI) will be at Red Haven.
In a few short months, I will be back in my little truck and on the road again.
My next cookbook, Duck, Duck, Goose: The Ultimate Guide to Cooking Ducks and Geese, both Farmed and Wild, will be released by Ten Speed Press on October 1. On that day I plan to already be on the road, in Boise, Idaho (actually Nampa) where I will be working with the chef at the James Beard Award-nominated Brick 29. Our goal: An innovative, duck-themed dinner that highlights the greatness of this great ingredient.
The same will be true at 49 other restaurants in 49 other cities, ranging from Manhattan to Milford, Birmingham to Boston. As you can see from the book tour map, I will crisscross the nation twice.
It is an ambitious schedule, and it will be taxing both on my pickup — I will be driving the whole way — and on me. I’ve done long stints on the road before, and they can be exhilarating and enervating all at the same time. Why do it? Because of you, dear readers. Two years ago, when Hunt, Gather, Cook came out — God, has is been two years already?! — I started with a modest tour schedule. Then I heard from you, over and over again, asking me to come to your city. I threw down the gauntlet: I’ll come if you think you can help me sell a couple dozen books. You picked up that gauntlet, and again and again, showed me the kind of hospitality and generosity that still gets me a little teary-eyed, even now. That tour was a highlight of my life.
So when it came time to plan this tour, there was no question: I had to do it again.
Anchoring each stop will be a book dinner at a local restaurant: some trendy, some obscure, award-winners and unsung culinary heroes all. My hope, my goal, is to meet you at these dinners. To pack the house both for the restaurant’s sake — I make no money from the dinner itself — and yes, to sell as many copies of my book as I can. This is my tour, not one set up by my publisher, and it’s on my own dime. But for me it’s worth every penny to meet all of you in person. Whenever that happens, I learn as much from you as you from me.
In many places, such as the Twin Cities, Fargo, San Francisco, Denver, Seattle and Austin, I am planning several events, and most of these will be cheap or free. After all, not everyone can afford a $60-a-head dinner, no matter how awesome. I get that.
No matter what the event, I need your help to make this tour a success. The restaurateurs are being generous to host these dinners, and the big stressor for me is attendance. Without at least 25 or so people at each (50 is better), the restaurants start hurting — and I don’t want to do that to them, especially since some are friends. This is major reason why I am setting dates and venues so early: To give everyone plenty of time to save the dates, tell their friends and gin up some excitement.
As it stands now, this is what the tour looks like:
TRIP ONE – THE NORTH
- October 1 in Boise at Brick 29
- October 2 in Dillon (MT) at The Bookstore
- October 3 in Billings at Bin 119
- October 5 in Bismarck at Pirogue Grille
- October 6-7 in Fargo
- October 8-11 in the Twin Cities at Bachelor Farmer
- October 12-14 in Madison at Forequarter
- October 15-16 in Milwaukee at Hinterland
- October 17-19 in Chicago at Vie
- October 20 in East Lansing (MI) at Red Haven
- October 21 in Detroit
- October 22-26 in Cleveland at the Brew Kettle and Fire Food & Drink
- October 27 in Burlington (VT)
- October 29 in Cambridge (MA)
- October 30 in Bath (ME) at Beale Street BBQ
- October 31 in Rockport (ME) at Salt Water Farm
- November 1-2 in Gloucester (MA)
- November 3 in Providence at La Laiterie (or the New Rivers Cafe)
- November 4-5 in New York City at the Beretta Gallery
- November 6 in Philadephia at Brauhaus Schmitz
- November 7 in Navesink (NJ) at The Homestead at Seven Arrows East
- November 8-9 in Milford (DE) at Abbott’s Grill
- November 10 in Arlington (VA) at Lyon Hall
- November 12 in Lexington (KY) at Azur
- November 13 in St. Louis at Libertine
- November 14 in Kansas City at Extra Virgin
- November 15-17 in Norton (KS) at the Kansas Governor’s Ringeck Classic
- November 18-21 in Denver at Old Major
- November 23-24 in Salt Lake City
TRIP TWO – THE PACIFIC
- December 2 in Sacramento at Mulvaney’s
- December 3 in Davis at Avid Reader
- December 4 in San Francisco at Omnivore Books
- December 7-8 in Portland at Restaurant St. Jack
- December 9-11 in Seattle at Local 360
- December 14 in San Diego — I’m doing a pop-up restaurant with Chef Chad White
- December 15 in Ventura
TRIP THREE – THE SOUTH
This trip will begin in Phoenix (actually Scottsdale) on Sunday, January 5, 2014 with a Southwestern style duck dinner at Rancho Pinot. From there things get squishy. The plan is to head to Albuquerque, then Oklahoma City, Little Rock, Memphis, Birmingham, Atlanta, Raleigh and Suffolk, Virginia. Then I swing south to the Tampa-St. Petersburg area, then on to New Orleans, Houston and finally Austin, where my friend Jesse Griffths and I will be doing some nefarious cooking together.
You will notice that some of these cities are still a work in progress. In some cases, I am still hammering out details and will announce venues and events as they firm up.
But in a few places I need some help setting things up entirely. So if anyone knows a good place to do a dinner or other event in the following cities, I am all ears:
- Burlington, VT
- Salt Lake City
- Albuquerque
- Little Rock
- Memphis
- Raleigh
- Houston
And if you want me to come to your town and you think it might work in my schedule, let me know. Things are tight, but if you try on your end, I will try on mine.
Even though it’s still some months away, I am getting pretty stoked about this tour. There will be a ton of amazing duck (and goose) to be eaten, adventures to be had, old friends to see again and new ones to meet for the first time. Are you with me?
I would love to see you in Houston and you are more than welcome to contact me about your visit here.
When you are in Cleveland and want to try some duck hunting in the middle of the state, I’m sure we can find a bed ( the fields next to me are the X in late season) and some ducks for you.
Vie is one of my favorite restaurants in the Chicago metro area- can’t wait.
I have been following your blog for a while now. I live in Arkansas and I had some suggestions for your event in Arkansas for your duck cookbook.
Looking forward to seeing you in Milwaukee, and I’ll do what I can to get the word out here.
If you are serious about Raleigh let me know. I havent lived there in about 6 years but Have a friend that owns a a restraunt there and he might be interested. Not exactly sure what you will be looking for or what you are planning on doing but he does have his own place.
Mcminnville is about an hour outside of Portland, and we’d love to have you out here. We could certainly fill up a restaurant. Otherwise, how to we sign up?
Duck is my favorite food, and you are my favorite food writer. I live in Mexico now, but follow your site like a religion.
I’ll be buying several of your Duck, Duck, Goose for all my hunting friends and a few who don’t.
Good luck with you book and your tour.
Greg: Email me at scrbblr AT hotmail DOT com abotu Raleigh. Christine: Do the same for McMinnville.
Hope to see you in Albuquerque.
Hank,
I’ll look into Memphis again and see if I can find a formal venue this time. Worst case, I have a bigger house that is better setup for another private event.
Come to Columbus GA! 100 miles south of ATL and we have more game that needs your cooking techniques than urban ATL!
You will find many more people that will come in Bozeman than in Billings. Plus, why would anyone want to go to Billings. Come see the jewel of the state!
Are you coming to the UK?
By the time you’re doing your tour, I will have retired from teaching, and be living near Manila, in the Philippines. Duck hunting is pretty big in the Islands, so let me know if you want to hit Asia…but really, unless you have a book ready for me by the time I leave in July, I’ll be ordering one from over there, and including a few extra bucks for shipping, as I’ll want a signed one from you, of course. Hope your new book is as good as the last one…but I definitely need help with the recipes, so this will be a must. I hope you explain the source of your title, and it’s etyology.
Take care, Richard
Hi Hank,
We would love to see you here in Costa Mesa, California (we are between LA and San Diego) as there are suprisingly a lot of duck hunters from Newport Beach and nearby. You might be able to host an event with Alan Greeley chef/owner of the Golden Truffle. He is experienced in preparing game and local guys often take game to him to be treated to a gourmet multi-course meal. I actually bought him your cookbook recently as a thank you gift for an amazing 6 course meal he prepared recently of duck and goose (he hasn’t received it yet though), I think he would love to meet you and sponsor a cooking/book event of some sort. Hope we see you, Joan Smith
If you are interested in the Raleigh-Durham area, there are a lot of great restaurants in Downtown Durham. I would recommend contacting the guys at Fullsteam Brewery because they have good connections with restaurants in the area.
Cheers!
Really looking forward to it! See you in Scottsdale!
Cleveland to Burlington? That’s a 10 hour haul. Sure hope you find something definite there. If not, I’d do the legwork for you for a stop in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom.
Hello Hank,
Why not make it a WORLD tour and come to London?
And assuming the hard copy of Duck, Duck Goose* gets to London mid-decade at best, will it be available on Kindle?
Cheers,
Ward
* And what is the origin of that title? Or do we have to await the book?
Hi Greg,
We work with a lot of local sustainable farms and local food organizations in the Raliegh area. Carolina Farm Stewardship association and NC choices to name a couple think we could link you up with some interesting resources.
Peace
Sorry I called you Greg Hank, you resemble a friend.
You are such a winner in my book. Having toured a bakers dozen books in my time, all I can say is you better lay in a supply of whiskey to do this tour, and travel with a friend who can drive and keep you company. I remember once being so tired in the hotel in Portland, O, that I was ready to jump out the window into the middle of some protest going on in front of the hotel.
It can get crazy. And speaking of Portland, my son, Jay, an attorney and ardent upland game bird hunter could probably help you out there and it would be fun for him. He’s teaching Aidan, my grandson to hunt. But he hasn’t done what my husband did for him when he was Aidan’s age. Joe bought a 410, and cut off the stock and a piece of the barrel so the kid could shoot. He’s a dead eye dick for sure now.
all the best,
Linda West Eckhardt
James Beard award winning cookbook author
editor/founder Everybody Eats News
Maplewood, New Jersey
call me if I can help. I used to know people in Houston, but they’ve all moved.
Hope you make it up to Michigan this trip. I know it’s a smaller market up north, but we have some great facilities here in Alpena (sunrise side, baby!) and lots of folks who love to hunt waterfowl. We might even work in some grouse and woodcock hunting if it coincides with the season. If not, we’ll still try to catch you in Lansing!
Hank,
Me and my dad would love to join you in Sacramento on December 2nd (Monday??) at Mulvaney’s. Figure we would try to do some shooting at Yolo Bypass on the weekend and then meet with you on Monday before heading back down to central Cal. Keep me posted and let us know the best way to sign-up? Call Mulvaney’s or What? Thanks and look forward to the book!
Take one of those Cleveland days and come to Columbus! We have an amazing local food scene and I have no doubt that we could get plenty of people interested!
You need to hit Richmond, VA. Check out http://www.greentophuntfish.com. You should do a signing there. Best local sporting goods store you have ever seen. Right off 95, just down the road from Bass Pro.
Hank, Yes! The Brew Kettle Rocks! Good smokehouse and microbrew all under one roof! I know Chris and Cleveland also offers the West Side Market, world class steelhead, walleye and perch also ducks and geese! I have made your Wild Boar Salumi, Dry Italian and misc others… All were outstanding! We had hunt Stuttgart AR this past Jan and (I have a line for a restaurant in Little Rock for you as well) did well! The place is Mecca for waterfowl! Your duck and goose recipes are tops! If your interested keep us in mind we would LOVE to have you here!
Regards, JP
When do you plan to be in Louisiana? If you are driving from New Orleans to Houston and want to break up your drive about mid-way, Eunice LA is about in the middle.
Also, it looks like your schedule might put you here before the end of duck & goose season so hunting, gumbo, boudin, and other things can be arranged. My duck camp is on Bayou Lacassine bordering Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge and although I’m a bird hunter, I can connect you with guys who hunt and fish for anything and everything allowed in LA.
Also, I can also think of several places in Lafayette LA that would probably be very receptive to hosting a demonstration — Johnson’s Boucanierre springs to mind first. Lafayette is one of the top restaurant towns in the USA.
Hank,
Just a recommendation for a restaurant to stop by on your book tour here in Oxford, MS. The Snackbar is owned by John Currence and has won the John J. Beard Award. It is a top notch place with several duck dishes on the ever-changing seasonal menu where all fruits and veggies come from the local farmers market and locally grown beef. Check them out here http://citygroceryonline.com/restaurant.php?snackbar
p.s. As a waterfowl guide in Arkansas, I have sure enjoyed your website on new, interesting ways to cook waterfowl. My favorite so far… slow roasted speck. Mmm.
All the best,
TJ
Hope to see you in Austin. Tried a shrimp version of your Venison Piquante, mighty fine!
Looking forward to seeing you in Cambridge. I love your cookbook and all your stories of foraging in the RI/MA area which are my stomping grounds as well! Can’t wait to hear more details of your visit…
Just saw you are coming to Tampa! That’s great! Can’t wait to see where you are going to have the stop!
This tour sounds amazing! I grew up in New Mexico and have found some culinary gems on trips back to visit my parents- would love to advise on your ABQ trip- DM me on twitter @HungryLikeaW0lf or email me.
Best of luck, hope to catch you in Northern CA in December!
Hank, im so excited you are coming to Seattle, not only are you inspiration to me, Local 360 is one of my all time favorite restaurants!! They truly have raised the bar for great, local food around here.
Im no pro but if you got a shotgun and are ready to roll we can go try for some ducks. Great duck hunting out here in December!!
Cheers
Hank-
I’m super excited about your new book! Looking at your schedule, it doesn’t look like you left any time for hunting while in Michigan. Poor planning! I coulda shown you some great gunning. Maybe next time. I will offer to help with any leg work prior to your visit, though. Just let me know if you need anything.
Looking forward to shaking your hand in October!
Hank,
Looking forward to your visit to SLC, Utah. I’ve been racking my brain trying to think of a restaurant that might best fit your style and niche. Here are a few suggestions: Copper Onion, Pago, Finca, Tony Caputo’s, Pallet, and the Tin Angel Cafe. Also: you may look into a spot on Park City just up the canyon from SLC.
Hope this helps get the ball rolling.
Good luck!
How do we reserve our spot if we already know we are coming? With 5 other people?
Melissa: It’s a little early for that. Once I get a sense from the restaurants that they are ready to take reservations, I will post it up again. Stoked to hear you are bringing a crew, though!
Hank, sent you the name and contact information on a couple of resturants in the Houston area. I talked to the owner…he is very interested. Let me know if I can do anything else at this end. Hope it works out.
Warren
As a hobby farmer with animals to aully things like milk and eggs for my 5 kiddos, husband and me, along with visiting family and neighbors, I plan time away as far out as possible. Someone has to milk the cow and feed the hens!
I’m so excited you’re coming to Delmarva! No one ever comes here.
With regards to the Raleigh area, nearby Durham has The Regulator bookshop which just coordinated Michael Pollan’s visit: http://www.regulatorbookshop.com/
And Bull City Burgers and Brewery hosts various classes and events and, I’m sure, would love hosting you given that they just finished their annual Exotic Meat Month which goes over very well in addition to just being all about local and house-made everything:
http://www.bullcityburgerandbrewery.com/
Also, nearby Chapel Hill has Flyleaf Books which just coordinated a visit from SmittenKitchen.com blogger and author Deb Perelman with a meal jointly done next door at Foster’s Market.
Looks like other readers are from the Triangle area of NC as well, but I would be happy to help coordinate and pound pavement here as well if it helps make this event happen. Thanks and keep up the good work!
So I’m from SD….how will I find out about the pop up restaurant deal in December because I want to take my husband who’s an avid hunter?
Do you have your heart completely set on Burlington? I live in Montpelier Vermont, that might be the kind of event that could be set up at my culinary school.
Hank- I’ve been reading your blog and cooking out of your book for a long time. I saw that you’ll be in Duluth and the Twin Cities in October. Any chance you’d be interested in hunting grouse with a small group of friends with similar hunting and cooking interests? We have access to some pretty unique cabins and land, and could arrange trout fishing and a couple of hours of grouse hunting (or heck even just dinner and a place to stay) between Duluth and Mpls? If so, please feel free to email me back.
I hope your Austin visit means you will be participating in our wonderful Texas Book Festival. We enjoyed Jesse Griffiths at the last one, and the cooking tent always draws a crowd. You’d be an asset to the event.