Trimming the Quail Tree

Last week in Chicago, I attended an underground dinner hosted by food collaborative X-Marx and Perman Wine Selections that was, in the best way, the epitome of gluttony. The menu paid tribute to Quebecois chef Martin Picard and his Montreal restaurant Au Pied De Cochon, known for its extraordinary takes on meat. On the menu were off-the-wall items like braised pig's head with mussels and a foie gras and boudin tart. Most fun was the "Quail Tree," a course of pear-shaped _ballotines of whole quail stuffed with foie gras, rabbit and cranberries, presented to us on a pine tree, hung like Christmas ornaments, with wet-nap ornaments hung on the tree, to boot._ — Huge Galdones