What the Food?
Welcome to What the Food?—the history and comedy podcast that dives into the weird, wild, and fascinating history of food, drinks, and dining cultures around the world. We’re Miles, Andy, and Dom—just three friends with a love for food and a knack for uncovering its untold stories. From surprising food origins to the moments that shaped how we eat, we uncover the strange, unexpected, and often hilarious history behind what ends up on our plates. Join us on our next culinary adventure through time!
What the Food?
Ducking Delicious: The Crispy Legacy of Peking Duck
*We encountered a couple of audio issues while recording this episode. Before you stamp on your headphones or throw your phone or PC out the window, any glitchy sounds you hear are in our recording! Apologies!*
Peking Duck isn’t just food, it’s a legend. From its humble origins as a street snack in 13th-century China to becoming an imperial delicacy and a diplomatic power move, this crispy, caramelised masterpiece has had quite the journey.
In this episode of What the Food, we uncover how Peking Duck migrated from the waterways of Hangzhou to the imperial courts of Beijing, how roasting techniques evolved to perfection, and how this dish ended up impressing emperors, presidents, and food lovers worldwide. Plus, we’ll dive into the modern twists, from London’s crispy duck to Michelin-starred reinventions.
So grab a pancake, roll it up, and join us for a deep dive into the rich, delicious history of Peking Duck.
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Thanks for listening, and we’ll catch you on the next one!
Theme music: “Celebration” by Alexander Nakarada. Available for use under the CC BY 4.0 license (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)