Originally Posted by nologic

Moondog's a great expert...but IME, all duck is not created equal...and it's not about the duck itself. I have come to believe that the single most important dimension to great Beijing Duck is the oven...and that's why we can't get great BJ Duck in NY or elsewhere...it takes a restaurant dedicated to BJ Duck, making hundreds a night, over years...keeping the wood burning ovens going 24/7...where the fat drippings and fumes coat the ovens and impart a huge dimension of flavor that can't be re-created, despite other place's ability to replicate crispy skin.