Peking Duck

June 27

Every three weeks LTL hosts a community dinner, open to all students. The dinner switches between Beijing Hot Pot and Beijing Duck. In the three weeks, almost four, I lived in Beijing I have yet to try Beijing Duck. Everything in its own time I supposed, but to me it really seemed to be something that you enjoyed with a large group of people, not by yourself or with just one other. Not to say that you couldn't eat it that way, but  --- now I am rambling and you just want to know about the duck.

It was very good, definitely not something one should eat everyday since it was quite oily (that is saying something considering Chinese food). The restaurant we went to served it up very tender and juicy with a good portion of skin and meat. Andreas, the boss man, informs me that some restaurants will just give you the skin with a dash of meat. I say to each his own, but being the carnivorous type the experience might be worse than the salmon burgers my Papa once brought home. You want/expect meat and when it is not there, the food tastes worse than it should.

Back to the duck.

The duck is wheeled to you, and carved up in front of you onto a platter. After which they ask if you want duck soup, which is your duck put into a pot with spices and vegetables. We declined the soup.

That is the end of that duck.

 So once the duck is nicely sliced onto a platter, you don't just grab it an chow down. The duck is presented with something like tortillas made from tofu; duck sauce; and veggies. If it is to your liking, you wind up making Chinese Duck Tacos. It is accepted that some people don't like tofu, and thus; one can eat just duck, but the tacos are definitely worth a try.

The presentation of the duck, and Andreas showing us how to make duck tacos.




And of course no outing of 20 something year old students is complete without some cultural education. Cue the entrance of the Mongolian King, a brand of bajiu. Bajiu literally means clear alcohol, and is the Chinese traditional wine. It really doesn't taste like anything but pure alcohol. It doesn't have any underlying flavors that I could taste like whiskey does. Then again I don't know what grade of bajiu we got, and I am not chomping at the bit to find out. If you are curious and want to know more go to wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baijiu

I think the pictures say it all.

 

Andreas was really just showing off

For all those who doubt, yes I did take my shot of cultural immersion as well as photograph others doing it.