Making this legendary Chinese specialty is an elaborate process… Observe the duck master’s craft.

Centuries after Peking duck first appeared in palace kitchens during the Ming Dynasty in China (over 600 years ago), there are as many versions of the original as there are countries where Chinese cuisine is found!

The crisp-skinned roast duck is traditionally served in slices with slithers of cucumber, shallots and hoi sin sauce, wrapped in a light flour pancake.

Prepared with skill and precision, the duck must be rubbed with spices, sugar and salt before being bathed numerous times over in maltose (sweetened) water to crisp the skin. It is hung in the open air before dry roasting, in a Chinese drum oven. The duck is pumped with air to separate the skin from the fat.