Huayu Chef

003 Unfavorable Start and Failure Warning

Jiuduhe is a natural scenic spot in Jiuduhe Town, which is under the jurisdiction of HR District. The duck farm that Zhang Jinxuan and Zhuangzhuang are going to is on the outskirts of the town, which is a bit far away.

Passing by Jiudu River, the two stopped to film a video of the beautiful scenery before heading to the duck-cramming farm.

The owner of the duck farm was surnamed Lai, a very rare surname. It is said that his ancestors were quite prominent, descendants of the famous "Duck Lai" from the outskirts of Beijing during the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China.

A person's mouth is their only tool; whether they are a god or a devil depends entirely on their words.

Zhang Jinxuan had no intention of tracing the origins of the story, and it would be a little impolite to keep asking about someone's ancestors. After exchanging a few simple pleasantries with the boss, he continued filming the first episode of "Wild Kitchen," featuring Peking duck.

"I've arrived at today's destination, a duck farm in Jiuduhe. This man next to me is the owner of the duck farm, Mr. Lai. Mr. Lai, could you please show us around the duck farm?"

The boss nodded and stepped forward to lead the way, "Follow me."

"Thanks."

The duck-feeding farm was not large, and the lighting inside was dim, the air was murky, and it was filled with an unpleasant, foul odor.

There were many ducks, and when they were startled, they quacked and scattered away from the aisle, forming a dense mass that triggered trypophobia in anyone who saw them.

Zhang Jinxuan asked curiously, "Boss, how many ducks do you keep here?"

"Two or three thousand."

Zhang Jinxuan was filled with respect and said with a fawning expression, "Rich man, let's be friends."

The boss laughed heartily, pointing at Zhang Jinxuan and saying with a smile, "Little Zhang, you're really funny. What kind of tycoon am I? There are no tycoons in our country anymore; they were all overthrown long ago."

"Hey boss, you're the real joker," Zhang Jinxuan teased, then said to the camera, "As you all see, these ducks in front of us are the force-fed ducks used for roast duck, also called Beijing ducks. They have white feathers and plump bodies, don't they look like miniature versions of fat geese?"

In everyday life, we often hear the term "cramming," which means rote learning where knowledge is simply poured into someone's head.

"The methods for raising ducks are similar. Mr. Liang Shiqiu wrote about ducks in an article, which I will quote here."

Zhang Jinxuan, sneaking in his own flair, began to show off his acting skills, reciting with clear pronunciation and intonation:

"Beiping suffers from severe drought and is not a major duck-producing area. However, Tongzhou, which is very close by, benefits from the Grand Canal, with its crisscrossing canals and ponds, making it particularly suitable for raising ducks. The best breeds are all pure white, while wild ducks and spotted ducks are not the best choice. When ducks are transported from Tongzhou to Beiping, they still need to undergo a process of being force-fed."

"The sorghum and other feed are kneaded into round strips, thicker than regular sausages and hot dogs, and about four inches long. The duck chef in Tongzhou grabs a duck, holds it between its legs so it can't move, pries open its beak with his hands, and forcibly stuffs in thick, long strips of feed dipped in water."

"The ducks couldn't even quack; they could only blink. After stuffing them into our mouths, we would pull down their necks tightly with our hands, forcing those things down into their stomachs. After stuffing in a few, and seeing that their bellies would burst if we added any more, we would finally let go and put the ducks in a small, dark shed."

"Dozens or hundreds of ducks are kept together like sardines, with absolutely no room to move, only given as much water as possible. They are kept like this for several days, and then pulled out and stuffed every day until they are fat, hence the name 'stuffed ducks'."

"It sounds cruel, but foie gras, a delicacy from abroad, is actually obtained using similar methods."

"Nature has a survival-of-the-fittest law, and the strong prey on the weak. Forced ducks are large-scale farmed meat ducks. From birth, they are carefully cared for and fed, and they live a life of ease, which is honestly more comfortable than many of us. Their lives are already perfect. Doesn't thinking about it immediately make you feel envious, jealous, and resentful, and turn your pity into an urge to eat them?"

"Now that we've talked about stuffed duck, let's talk about Peking duck."

"Beijing roast duck originated from Nanjing roast duck. During the Ming Dynasty, the capital was moved. Emperor Yongle, Zhu Di, moved the capital from Nanjing to Beijing. What did he do when he was craving roast duck? He took the roast duck chefs with him. That's how Nanjing roast duck spread to the north."

"We once memorized an ancient Chinese text, 'Oranges grown south of the Huai River are sweet oranges, but those grown north of the Huai River are bitter oranges.' When Nanjing roast duck was introduced to Beijing, it underwent localization due to climate, dietary habits, and many other reasons."

"To sum it up in one sentence, Peking duck originated from Nanjing duck, uses local ducks from Beijing, and is prepared using Shandong cuisine methods. It's a complete Frankenstein's monster."

"The term 'Frankenstein' doesn't have a derogatory meaning here. I think Peking duck is an innovative dish and a typical example of how Chinese cuisine can constantly innovate. Innovation is also the source of vitality for the long-lasting prosperity of Chinese food culture."

"So, everyone should stop obsessing over whether it's Peking duck or Nanjing duck, because they share a common name: Chinese cuisine."

"Well said!" Boss Lai shouted, clapping his hands.

The surrounding ducks were startled and squawked loudly.

Zhang Jinxuan quickly dissuaded him, saying, "Boss, control yourself. You're easily frightened and might cause something serious, which would be a huge loss for you."

"It's alright, I know my ducks well. Xiao Zhang, you're so young but very knowledgeable, you speak so eloquently."

Zhang Jinxuan chuckled and said, "Thanks for the compliment, Boss. Now that you've praised me, how about something more substantial?"

"What do you mean?" the boss asked, feigning ignorance.

"Here's the thing, I'm thinking of filming a video about cooking Peking duck, and I'm planning to buy you a few ducks. How much do you want?"

The shop owner asked, "Are you going to buy it to make this?"

"It's not easy to prepare them after buying them. I'm afraid they'll die on the way, so I'll find a place nearby to cook them."

The boss raised his hand and said generously, "Little Zhang, don't bother looking for a place. Just cook it here. I'll give you six ducks, free of charge. Once it's cooked, I'll invite a few people over for a meal. What do you think?"

"That's perfectly fine," Zhang Jinxuan asked with concern, "Boss, do you have an oven here?"

"I built one a few years ago, originally intending to learn how to make roast duck, but I didn't have the skills, so now it's just for decoration. Let me take you to see it."

"Alright, boss, lead the way." Zhang Jinxuan rubbed his hands excitedly and said as they walked, "There are currently two schools of thought in making roast duck: one is hanging oven roast duck, and the other is closed oven roast duck."

"In Nanjing, the closed oven is used more often for roasting, while in Beijing, it's basically roasted in a hanging oven, which requires frequent turning to ensure the roasted duck is fragrant, crispy, and tender."

"Manually built ovens are rare nowadays; stainless steel ovens are more common. I originally planned to use a simple oven to roast duck, but I never expected that the duck farm would have a man-made roast duck oven. It's really a stroke of luck that Qiaoqiao's mom opened the door for Qiaoqiao."

"Today I'm going to make some authentic Peking duck for everyone, so you can look forward to it."

Upon arriving at the roast duck room, Zhang Jinxuan looked at the long-abandoned roast duck oven with great interest, but the more he looked, the more disheartened he became.

The smile on his face gradually froze.

After a long while, he said to the camera, "It's unlucky to open champagne at the halfway point, and you can't speak too soon. There's something wrong with how the boss built this roast duck oven."

"What the hell? Is there something wrong with my oven?"

The boss's tone instantly rose, staring intently at Zhang Jinxuan, his breathing heavy, like an enraged bull.