- What is Peking Duck?
Roast duck is a world-renowned Beijing dish, that originated from the southern and northern dynasties, “food treasures” have been recorded in the roast duck, at that time is the palace food. Material for high-quality meat duck, the fruit charcoal fire roast, color ruddy, meat fat and not greasy, crisp outside the tender. Beijing roast duck is divided into two major schools, and Beijing’s most famous roast duck restaurant is representative of the two schools. It with the color red, tender meat, tastes mellow, fat, and not greasy characteristics, known as the “World Delicious”.
- History
It is said that when Yongle Emperor usurped the throne and moved to Beijing, he also took with him some of the best Peking Duck Cooks in Nanjing. During the Jiajing period, the roast duck spread from the court to the people. The old “Bianyifang” roast duck shop opened in the Meishi Hutong of Caishikou, which was also the first roast duck shop in Beijing.
In the early years of the Ming dynasty, the common people loved to eat Nanjing salted duck, as did the emperor. It is said that Taizu Hongwu Emperor had “a roast duck during the solar eclipse”. Imperial cooks at the court tried to invent new ways of eating duck to please the emperor, so they invented the roast duck with a fork and the roast duck in a stew oven. “Quanjude” is the representative of Peking duck, while “Bianyifang” is the best-known braise roast duck. At that time, the name was “Nanjing Pipi Duck”, and on the market sign of the old “Bianyifang”, there was a special sign with a small line: Nanjing Roast Duck.
In 1864, the capital’s most famous “Quanjude” roast duck restaurant also opened, roast duck technology has developed to the “Hanging Furnace” era. It is roasted with fruitwood fire and has a special fragrance. It not only makes the roast duck fragrant for thousands of miles but also makes the “Beijing roast duck” replace the “Nanjing Roast Duck”, the “Nanjing Peel Duck” can only be seen on the menus of Hong Kong, Macao, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and other big cities in the south.
I have personally never had duck but have always been intrigued to try it. I just feel not many people around here know how to prepare it properly and I feel that trying a delicacy for the first time needs to be prepared perfectly.
I am a pretty picky eater so I don’t know if I would ever try duck, but I love how you talk about the history and describe what it’s like.
If you have a chance, I hope you’ll try the Peking Duck. I’m sure it will live up to your expectations.
Hi Yifan, that food sounds super interesting. I did not know there was so much fascinating history behind it.
Thank you. Chinese food usually has a long and interesting history. I will share more about it in the future.
I’ve never tried duck before, but it sounds good! The history of this dish is interesting too, I’ve never thought much about where dishes originated from.
Hope you have a chance to try this dish, it’s really delicious!
man, i wish i knew places around here that would serve this.