Beijing roast duck

I just finished reading Qiu Xiaolong's detective novel, death of red heroine. The background is set in ShangHai around early 90s. I guess this story has excited many westerners because they have finally had a little taste of modern China through a more refreshing channel. However, it does not excite me too much.

Detective Chen is a very likeable character. I like him because he likes foods. There was one scene that his forensic examiner dropped by his apartment and gave him a whole Beijing roast duck, well, I like this bit (mainly the roast duck) very much.

I think the best ever Beijing roast duck I had was in Washington D.C., nearly 10 years ago. The chef came out with the red-skinned, steamingly hot duck. He held the duck in his left hand and a cleaver right hand, deftly and speedily removed the hot duck skin off the duck. Because of a think layer of fat, each piece of skin didn't have a shred of meat attached. The fatty tissue layer underneath the skin was just the right amount.

We wrapped the duck skin, leek-like green onion, with a sort of flat bread. Bread is not a correct term to describe it but I couldn't find a more appropriate one. I am sure the dough was not leavened, the protein (gluten) concentration must be high because the bread tasted very chowy and full of the wonderful smell of wheat. The bread must be baked in a similar fashion as Indian nan. The sauce was sweet and thick, it was properly fermented pastry leftover mixed.


I feel like to cry every time I am served a Beijing duck dish in a Cantonese restaurant. Southerners rarely know how to make with flour. The bread was steamed and tasted like sweetened toast!! In addition, they thought there is no difference between Cantonese and Beijing roast duck. They rarely sliced up the skin and meat well, all you can have is a thick layer of fat. The sauce that came with the duck? I think it was made with HuaiSin sauce and some thickening stuff. Why can Cantonese just do what they are good at, leave the Beijing roast duck alone?