National Peking Duck Day
Juicy, succulent, and bursting with flavor, Peking duck is a mouth-watering Chinese dish that will tantalize your taste buds.
Drive foot traffic and menu awareness at Asian restaurants and food retailers by celebrating the heritage and culinary artistry of Peking duck with cultural storytelling and limited-time promotions.
- 700 years of flavor: Share the fascinating history of Peking duck from 1330 to modern hanging-oven techniques
- Behind the slice: Showcase the intricate preparation process and traditional plating with thin pancakes and sweet sauce
- Taste the world: Feature Quanjude's global expansion story and its museum as proof of this dish's international appeal
- DIY celebration: Offer recipes, restaurant guides, or cooking class promotions for home cooks wanting to master Peking duck
Very few culinary dishes can claim as long an ancient history as Peking duck. Dating back as long as 700 years, this dish has a rich history that comes from the Northern parts of China and it is specifically named after the city of Beijing.
The first printed recipe for Peking duck can be traced back to the year 1330 when a rather complicated recipe called for roasting the duck inside of the stomach of a sheep.
In modern times, Peking duck has continued to evolve in style and the way that it is cooked. Most notably, the dish has changed from being cooked in a closed oven to cooking the ducks by hanging them in an open oven.
Peking duck is often sliced into very thin pieces that are served with a pile of thin pancakes. The meat is rolled up into a pancake and then dipped into a sweet sauce. It’s a delicious way to enjoy this tasty treat.
In classic and iconic restaurants in the Chinese city of Beijeng, Peking duck is served as a specialty dish. Some of these restaurants have been around more than 100 years and still are running today. One of these most famous restaurants is the one called Quanjude that has had tons of different famous political guests over the years.
National Peking Duck Day offers a delicious opportunity to celebrate and enjoy the hundreds of years of history that come along with this dish and the Chinese culture that cultivated it.
Enjoy Peking Duck
In honor of National Peking Duck Day, the clearest way to get started is to head out to a favorite Chinese or Asian style restaurant with some taste buds that are ready to celebrate! Order some Peking Duck from the menu, complete with pancakes to roll the thin slices of poultry into. Then, dip it into the special sweet sauce and get ready for a flavor explosion! Learn Some Fun Facts About Peking DuckRaise awareness and spread the word about National Peking Duck Day by letting others know about it. One delightful way to do that is by memorizing and sharing fun facts with family members, friends and coworkers.Get started with some of these bits of trivia that are related to National Peking Duck Day:Peking duck is named after the wrong cityAlthough Peking duck is named after the city of Beijing (another name for it has been Peking), the dish’s actual origins come from the then-capital city of Nanjing, which lies hundreds of kilometers to the south of Beijing.Quanjude restaurant has grown significantlyIn its more than 150 years of operation, the famous Peking duck restaurant, Quanjude, in Beijing, has expanded and grown so much that it has franchises in places as far away as Australia, Canada and Portugal.Quanjude has its own Peking Duck MuseumOpened in celebration of its 150th anniversary, the Peking duck established the museum which contains all sorts of educational information, golden duck sculptures, art displays depicting the duck roasting process and much more. It also has a picture of US President Richard Nixon eating Peking duck with chopsticks in 1972.Peking duck takes many steps to prepareThere are up to 20 steps in the preparation of the dish, one of which is pumping the bird full of air to separate the skin from the body which, ultimately, makes the skin taste much crisper and more delicious.
Take a Trip to Beijing, China
Follow National Peking Duck Day to the extreme and get the most original experience of Peking duck, by taking a trip to China! Since Beijing is the place that the dish is named after, this capital city in the north would be the perfect place to start the Peking duck adventure. While there, the first order of business, of course, would be to visit a restaurant and order up the Peking duck. If possible, try heading over to Quanjude’s spot, the famous restaurant that has served Peking duck to famous names such as President George Bush, Richard Nixon and Fidel Castro. In addition to their main location, Quanjude has venues that cater to visitor hot spots all over the city, in the Silk Market and other places. While in Beijing, consider taking a guided tour, and don’t forget to check out some other amazing sites of this 3,000 year old city, including places like: Great Wall of China. This section sits just an hour’s drive north of the city and can be experienced with a hike or a gondola during its 12-hour opening time each day. Beijing Summer Palace. Located in the suburbs of Beijing on the northwest side of the city, this site provides a beautiful oasis that includes a tower, hall, pavilion and gate, plus the impressive largest imperial garden in the entire country. Imperial Palace (Forbidden City). Also called The Palace Museum, this attraction is situated on the north end of the famous Tiananmen Square and has been a place of wonder and intrigue for more than five centuries. Nanluoguxiang Neighborhood. Get a feel for the culture of the city by wandering through this incredible neighborhood that boasts boutiques, vendors and market stalls. Of course, this might be a great place to enjoy some tasty Peking Duck! National Peking Duck Day FAQsWhat is Peking duck?Peking duck is a celebrated dish named after the Chinese city of Beijing (formerly Peking).[1]How to cook Peking duck?Peking duck is roasted on a wooden skewer and after the skin of the duck is marinated in white sugar or other flavorful agents.[1]Where did Peking duck originate?Peking duck originated in North China in the imperial court during the Yuan dynasty, at least 500 years ago.[1]How to pronounce Peking duck?In English, Peking duck may be pronounced “pee-king duhk”.[1]What does Peking duck taste like?This dish has a strong, red-meat sort of flavor that is more gamey than chicken. The crispy skin offers a sweet balance.[1]