I was at a wedding dinner last week. Before we were allowed into the ballroom for dinner, we were served cocktails, which are usually just a variety of cold drinks and light alcohol.
I was therefore pleasantly surprised when a waiter bearing a heavy tray of little rolls came up to me and asked if I would like something to eat. Normally, I would decline, but he said, "It's Peking Duck." Since this is not your usual
hors d'oeuvre, I decided to try a piece. Delicious! I stopped at one piece or that would have been my dinner instead of the eight-course meal to follow.
That little snack got me thinking. I have always heard this dish pronounced as
"Peeking" Duck. The waiter pronounced it as such. However, I have heard westerners say
"Pecking" Duck. Hmmm ... so which one is correct?
According to this
site,
"Peeking" is the correct pronunciation. I thought so.
Of course, when referring to the capital of China, "Peking" is no longer used. We call it Beijing (北京). I suppose the old name smacks of western colonialism. I much prefer the new name. Let's call a city the way the locals do. But as for the duck dish, it will probably remain as Peking Duck for a long time to come.
Bon Apetit!
Note: If you are in Beijing and want to savour authentic Peking Duck, you will have to order it by its Chinese name: Beijing ya (北京鸭).
