Beijing roast duck was reputed to be "the most delicious food" in the world. There was a popular saying among foreigners in Beijing: "Two big things in Beijing, Beijing roast duck and the Great Wall". Beijing roast duck could be generally divided into two types: hanged roast duck and smothered roast duck. Hanged roast duck was processed in a flaming oven, and the fuel was the wood of a fruit plant
Beijing roast duck was reputed to be "the most delicious food" in the world. There was a popular saying among foreigners in Beijing: "Two big things in Beijing, Beijing roast duck and the Great Wall".
Beijing roast duck could be generally divided into two types: hanged roast duck and smothered roast duck. Hanged roast duck was processed in a flaming oven, and the fuel was the wood of a fruit plant, the best being date tree.
Smothered roast duck was processed in smothered fire, and the fuel was sorghum stalk or other "soft" material. The flavor of two types of roast duck was different, but how to roast the duck was critical.
The eating ways of Beijing roast duck are special. Now there are three popular ways to enjoy the Beijing roast duck.
1 This way was brought about and became popular by the ladies of wealthy mansions. They did not eat it with chopped green onion, nor did they eat it with garlic, but they dipped the crusty skin of roast duck into a small dish of refined white sugar. After this became popular, the clerks of Quanjude would start to process roast duck and set the table with dishes of white sugar whenever they saw those ladies.
2 Condiments included sweet soy bean sauce, chopped green onion, cucumber and carrot. And eat it like this: spread a bit sweet soy bean sauce on a small pancake in the shape of a lotus leaf (called "lotus cake"), put a few pieces of roast duck on to it, then a few more chopped green onion, cucumber or carrot, roll up the pancake and ... yummy!
3 Condiments included smashed garlic and sweet soy bean sauce, carrot and others. Roast duck in "lotus cake" roll was popular years ago. Smashed garlic could eliminate oiliness. Roast duck was to be eaten with smashed garlic and sweet soy sauce. Eaten this way, the roast duck had a poignant aroma, and the flavor became even stronger. Many favored this condiment. Diners would often hear cries from the upper floors to the kitchen downstairs, "Sma--shed gar-liccc!" Each day, two or three apprentices sat on small stools to prepare garlic. Sometimes the restaurant would run out of garlic!
Come to Beijing and choose any way of them to enjoy the Beijing roast duck.