Peking Duck

Peking duck is a whole Long Island duckling, a descendant of the Beijing duck brought over from China in late 1700s. It is slaughtered and dressed with its head and neck intact. While few non-Asian cooks attempt this dish at home, the birds are readily available in Chinese restaurants and shops, and can usually be seen hanging from their feet in display windows.

In Peking duck, the plucked bird has air pumped into a small hole in its neck, inflating the space between the skin and the meat. The duck is trussed, glazed with honey, and hung to dry for twenty-four hours. It is then roasted, vertically, until the skin is brown and extremely crisp.The duck is served with thin Chinese pancakes for rolling the rich meat and sweet, chewy skin and with hoisin sauce for dipping.