China News Service Jiangmen, November 11 (Xinhua) -- "Braised Muscovy Duck" in Taishan, Guangdong: The hometown taste that wanderers are concerned about
Author: Li Xiaochun, Guo Jun
"When I went back to the village to visit relatives on Saturday, I found that my cousin was stewing old muscovy ducks, Peng Bo personally took charge of the spoon, two old muscovy ducks, stewed in a big pot. Look at that production, it's mouth-watering! Recently, Ms. Li, a villager who returned to Taishan, Guangdong Province from San Francisco, USA to participate in the 10th World Taishan Ningyang Hall (Fellow Townsmen Association) Friendship Conference, introduced that braised muscovy duck is a special food suitable for winter tonic in her hometown of Taishan.
On November 11, the proprietress of a cooked food stall in Fucheng Market, Taishan City, packed stewed muscovy duck for customers. Photo by Li Xiaochun
Muscovy duck is a kind of duck genus of the family of Gooseformes, which is different from the same family as the domestic duck, with white feathers, black feathers, and flower feathers, and is also known as "foreign duck" in Taishan. Muscovy ducks have red or black sarcomas at the base and around the eye circles, and they have less fat and more lean flesh in their bodies. In Taishan folk, there is a saying that "the older the muscovy duck (the longer the breeding time), the more nourishing it is".
In autumn and winter, muscovy ducks in the vegetable market of Taishan Taicheng Street began to sell well. "Now there are white ducks, flowery ducks, muscovy ducks, if used for stewing, this season can choose flowery duck or muscovy duck, relatively speaking, muscovy duck meat is firmer, stewed meat is more fragrant, 36 yuan per kilogram (RMB)." The proprietress of a stall in Taicheng Fucheng Market, Taishan City, introduced when soliciting guests.
Muscovy duck is also known as "foreign duck" in Taishan. Photo by Li Xiaochun
"To stew muscovy duck, you should first 'fry the white pot' (heat the pot, do not put oil, directly put the duck meat into the pot and stir-fry), fry until the skin is browned, and then put it out for later use. After the chopped ginger cubes are stir-fried in oil until fragrant, add the duck meat and ingredients and add water to simmer. Uncle Wu, the chef of a restaurant in Sijiu Town, Taishan, revealed that "boiling over high heat and simmering over low heat" can be more flavorful, and it can be simmered until it bites with a slight chewiness and smooth skin and fragrant meat.
"My dad especially likes to eat braised muscovy duck with yuba, which is easy to absorb water and sauce during the simmering process." On November 11, Ms. Wu, who returned to Taishan from Chicago to visit relatives, said that relatives and friends knew that her father had a soft spot for braised muscovy duck, and specially arranged for them to be served with braised muscovy duck every time they got together.
The yuba of braised muscovy duck with yuba is more delicious. Photo by Li Xiaochun
"I have made an appointment with a few good brothers in the village to go back to the village for dinner next Saturday, they are responsible for providing a few old muscovy ducks and some melon vegetables, and I am responsible for buying some fish, shrimp, crab and other seafood, and Uncle Hong will be responsible for cooking at that time, and the wine has been prepared." Recently, Mr. Zhen, who returned to Taishan from New York to visit relatives, said that the happiest thing about returning to Taishan every time he returned to Taishan was to change cups and lamps with his brothers in the village, talk about the past, and taste the dishes cooked by his uncles and aunts together.
In Taishan, there are many stories behind the dish of braised muscovy duck. "I remember when I was young, before my father ate stewed muscovy duck, he always sandwiched the meaty duck pieces to me first, leaving the head, claws, neck and other parts with less meat, saying that he liked to eat it." Mr. Zhao, a Taishan food lover who has become a father, said that he finally understands that it is a manifestation of father's love, and the part with more meat and tender meat will be given priority to children.
"My mother saw a stewed muscovy duck for sale in Taicheng Fucheng Market the day before yesterday, so she bought some and came back to satisfy our hunger." Miss Chen, a "post-90s" citizen in Taishan City, said that her mother sometimes uses old muscovy duck with winter melon, barley or medicinal herbs to make soup, so that the family can take tonic in a timely manner.
The charm of the seasons is that they are different, and the charm of food is that it can relieve nostalgia. "The weather has been relatively cool recently, and diners who want to eat braised muscovy duck should make a reservation one day in advance, and they can be stewed with yuba or medicinal herbs." Wu Ququan, the person in charge of Huaxue Hotel in Duanfen Town, Taishan, introduced that some old overseas Chinese who returned to China to visit relatives especially liked the familiar hometown taste of stewed muscovy duck, and even ate one or two bowls of bibimbap with its sauce. (ENDS)