If you have a handy half hour to spare, you might want to
consider boning a duck. Perhaps you have already done all your housework and
are bored. You might be on holiday, and have grown tired of lazing by your
pool. Or you could be a young housewife who wants to impress her husband by
serving him a dinner of authentic Pa-pao-ya,
Eight-Jewel Duck. If so, you may be thinking that after he sees your culinary
expertise, he’ll reward you with those eight jewels. You’d be wrong. He’s going
to take one look at the deflated waterfowl and demand pizza.
Whatever you do, don’t use your regular household scissors
to attempt to de-bone a duck. Sewing scissors are also not recommended. You’ll
also need a sharp knife, a sturdy cutting board, and a first-aid kit handy for
when you slice through one or many of your fingers. In this case, it is best to
prepare the area with ample paper towels and a telephone for dialing 911.
The best thing about this instructional diagram is the level
of detail in the illustrations. Hold the book at arm’s length and see if you
can detect the thin red lines which indicate the flesh of the duck, as opposed
to the thin black lines which represent the loose skin. Try not to adjust
reading glasses with grease-slick hands.
The Cooking of China,
Time-Life Books, 1968