16:22 Oct 11, 2011 

It is difficult to agree/disagree/suggest answer DUE TO members various knowledge "bites" in discussion box. Is it possible to get a bit more info from client at this point? (PS. Chocolate with chicken is a speciality in some parts of South America, I am sure that it is not revolting if cooked in the appropriate way)

16:22 Oct 11, 2011 

It is difficult to agree/disagree/suggest answer on the basis of members various knowledge "bites" in discussion box. Is it possible to get a bit more info from client at this point?

14:28 Oct 11, 2011 

You seem to be overlooking the fact, Oliver, that the fruit of the cacaoyer is called a cabosse, and AFAIK no French person would refer to the fruit of a cocoa tree as 'cacao fruité'.
While we're about it, I'd just like to mention that no-one has referred to whether 'fruité' actually does qualify 'cacao', or whether it might in fact be referring back to 'magret' — I agree it's possibly unlikely, but in this sort of énoncé de plat, it's not unusual to see the adjective at the end refer back to the principal ingredient at the start, the clue often being in the use of 'au' in the middle.

My original suggestion (now hidden) was based on this idea, that it might be cocoa-coated magret with some kind of fruit accompaniment.
I'm dying to go there now to find out just what it is!

14:13 Oct 11, 2011 

Fair enough Tony, but I think the fruit being referred to here is the fleshy part of the cacao, as opposed to the seeds which give cocoa beans, And so far nobody has been able to contradict this.It seems to be like a papaya, or paw paw.

12:30 Oct 11, 2011 

Whatever happened to your sense of culinary adventure?

I don't see anything incompatible between duck, chocolate, and fruit.
After all, look how well duck goes with orange, and chocolate goes with orange — so why not save washing up and serve main course and dessert on the same plate?

Seriously, though, it's quite fashionable these days to use chocolate in savoury dishes, as the distinctions get blurred between what has to be 'sweet' and what is 'savoury' — I can well imagine the fatty richness of the magret (don't let's forget that this is the breast of a fatted duck!) contrasting with the strong, bitter chocolate taste of the unsweetened cocoa and the acidity of a fruit...

Just today, I saw veal chop with espresso — I get the impression these chefs are trying to rush us straight from main course to coffee!

Just one think, though Janis — I feel sure this would be 'with' a sauce, I find it really hard to imagine this being served as a 'plat en sauce' — and looking at the restaurant concerned, I find that rather unlikely too.

12:29 Oct 11, 2011 

No, it sounds about as appetising as braised hippopotamus burgers in suitcase sauce, Pascale- anyway, it's about the flesh of the cacao, from which chocolate beans appear- that's the fruit in question.

09:38 Oct 11, 2011 

Does "duck breast in/with a fruity cocoa sauce" sound OK in English?