"roast duck" news and stories

In just a few short weeks, we'll be giving our undivided attention to turkey, but until then, we might give another bird a try: duck. The idea of cooking duck at home might instill fear, but the San Francisco Chronicle went to Bay Area experts to find out the best, easiest way to prepare the bird. The accompanying recipes are: Nancy Oakes' Slow-Roasted Duck, Cindy Pawlcyn's Roast Duck, Bay Wolf's All-Day Duck, Bay Wolf's Seared Duck Breasts with Spice Rub, Manka's 'Shut Up' Duck Legs, and Brussels Sprouts & Mushrooms with Duck Confit.

If you don't have your Jack o' Lantern up yet for Halloween next week, go ahead and grab a pumpkin, do your thing, but save the seeds! Pumpkin seeds are awesome in everything from a deeply rich Pipian Mole to dessert, Candied Pepitas!

I love my San Francisco neighborhood, the Inner Richmond. I am steps away from Clement Street, the real Chinatown, where Chinese and non-Chinese alike do their shopping away from the hustle and bustle of tourists visiting the other Chinatown across the city. I love that when I am in the mood for Peking duck, there are any number of "BBQ" restaurants with ducks hanging in the window to choose from. It's fun to eat there, but I like to take out, too. Here's how I do it:

At Wing Lee Restaurant on Clement Street, you can "duck in" for roasted duck. They will take a molasses-colored, crispy duck from the window, hack it up with a giant cleaver, and then arrange it carefully in a take-out tray. Then head next door to the Wing Lee Bakery and pick up a bag of doughy, yeasty cocktail-sized buns (or bao) to go with it.  Further west down the street, stop into New May Wah Super Market for hoisin sauce and green onions.

When you get home, arrange the duck and rolls on a platter and set out bowls of hoisin sauce and very thinly-sliced green onions. Split the rolls and make little duck "sandwiches." If you are really a pro, you will remove the skin from the duck and use that to make your sandwich, saving the meat to eat later.