While Peking duck has made a name for itself both in China and overseas, Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu province, is known as the country's "duck capital".
Every year, more than 100 million ducks are consumed in the city, which has a human population of more than 8 million. Numerous restaurants and shops selling duck products are scattered throughout residential communities.
Unlike Beijingers, who usually eat roast ducks in restaurants, people in Nanjing often buy freshly roasted or salted ducks from roadside shops to eat at their leisure.
While a whole roast duck in Beijing may cost about 200 yuan ($28), people in Nanjing usually spend about 20 yuan on roasted or salted birds that have been quartered. The vendors then chop the ducks into smaller pieces and wrap them for customers.
In winter, a dark, succulent sauce made in rice cookers is scooped into plastic bags by vendors and sold with chopped roast duck.
If any sauce is left over after the duck has been eaten, it can be used in wax gourd recipes. Many people also add rice to the sauce to make it extra tasty.
Ducks are checked for quality at Nanjing Osmanthus Ducks Group. [Phoro provided to China Daily]
Nanjing's love for ducks is well-known nationwide. Duck Duck Goose, a computer-animated comedy film released last year, which was produced by a Nanjing company, tells the story of two ducklings and a goose who gradually form a bond as they fly south.
However, many netizens said the storyline for the movie was unrealistic.
One of the comments made was, "No duck can fly out of Nanjing alive because it will have been made into savory dishes in the city — let alone two ducks journeying south together."
Qin Lin, a Nanjing resident, said: "There are more than 10 shops selling duck products within 1 kilometer of my home. Visitors to Nanjing ask seniors they meet where they can find the best one. Another way is to look for the shop with the longest lines of customers, which must make it the most popular in the neighborhood," she said.
The 20-year-old, who is studying at university in Shanghai, said the first thing she does when she gets off the bullet train in Nanjing is to head home to eat duck.
"My parents buy the ducks in advance and put them on the dining table. I like the smell and flavor. To me, this is the smell and taste of my hometown."
Tratitional method of making salted ducks. [Photo provided to China Daily]
Though Peking ducks and Nanjing ducks vary in flavor, appearance and cooking methods, the two have a connection that dates to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
In the 1420s, Emperor Zhu Di, also known as the Yongle Emperor, moved the country's capital from Nanjing to Beijing. Chefs working for the royal family also moved to Peking, where they came up with new methods to cook duck.
Bianyifang, a well-known Peking duck restaurant in Beijing, was named "Jinling Sliced Duck" when it first opened. "Jinling" is another name for Nanjing.
Peking duck has crispy skin and is sliced into about 100 thin pieces before being served with pancakes, spring onion and cucumber. Sometimes, it is also served with sugar, plum or other sauces.
