Salted Duck

Salted Duck

　　Salted Duck

　　The ancient capital of the Six Dynasties, Jinling, has long been renowned across China for its duck dishes, hence earning the title "Duck City." The variety of duck dishes and the number of people who enjoy them here can be said to be unparalleled in China. As far back as the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, there are records in Nanjing of "raising ducks on prepared ground," documented in the *Gazetteer of Wu*; additionally, according to the *Book of Chen*, – clashed with the Northern Qi army in the area of Fuzhou Mountain on the northern outskirts of Jinling, where the soldiers “wrapped rice in lotus leaves and paired it with duck meat,” and “boiled rice and cooked duck,” which greatly boosted their morale, ultimately allowing them to defeat a larger force with a smaller one and achieve a great victory. This is the earliest official historical record of Nanjing’s duck cuisine. Some say that Nanjing’s salted duck has a history of over 1,000 years, but at the latest, by the early Ming Dynasty, it had already gained great renown. For more than five hundred years, its fame has endured. Today, it has become a popular delicacy enjoyed throughout the Jiangnan region, often served as an accompaniment to wine. Chen Zuolin, a Qing Dynasty local historian from Nanjing, wrote in *Miscellaneous Chronicles of Jinling*: “Ducks are not native to Jinling; they are usually sourced from areas around Shaobo and Gaoyou. Countless young ducks and drakes cross the river southward in flocks, and are then kept in fenced ponds.

　　They are ready for eating in about ten weeks when fat and tender… Yet none compare to ‘salted duck,’ which is the supreme delicacy—subtle yet flavorful, rich without being greasy.”

　　Salted duck can be made all year round, but those produced from the lunar eighth month to the end of September, when rice paddies are fragrant and osmanthus blossoms are in full bloom, are considered the finest, commonly referred to as Osmanthus Duck, for the “meat carries the fragrance of osmanthus.” The preparation of salted duck includes slaughtering, curing, drying, and cooking. Because the curing period is relatively short, it is best eaten freshly made. During the process, controlling the heat is key to success. When served, the sliced salted duck prepared by renowned chefs in Nanjing is especially prized for its shape—either carved into a diamond pattern or sunflower shape—to enhance the diner’s dining pleasure with its aesthetic form. The finished dish features snow-white, glossy skin, tender pinkish meat, a subtle saltiness, and embodies the perfect balance of aroma, freshness, and tenderness, making it a dish that one never tires of.