Dining with Asian Food & Wine - PEKING DUCK in the LUNAR NEW YEAR - “THE YEAR OF THE TIGER”

by

Ronald Jan, M.D.

Celebrating the NEW YEAR has been challenging in the midst of a pandemic. Still, it reems reasonable to acknowledge some of the traditions that come - paying bills before NEW YEAR’S DAY, cleaning the house before NEW YEAR’S DAY. Described by wine expert and author, Janet Z. Wang, dining with family on NEW YEAR’S EVE is a critical part of tradition “…epitomized by the scene of parents, husband and wife, siblings and children sitting around the table with steamy dumplings (especially in the North China) and NEW YEAR delicacies, accompanied by the sound of laughter and the clinking of wine cups and chopsticks. (It) is the most important family occasion of the year, charged with emotions and the symbolism of love, safety, comfort and filial piety.”

In restaurants a knife is taped to the wall to appease the Kitchen God, Zao Wang. 

kitchen God, Zao Wang (Photo from Yan-Kit So’s Classic Food of China)

So that cooks can safely use knives in preparing delicious food, for example, whole fish (homonym for bountiful), birds nest soup (for youthfulness), noodles (for long life), yuan bao (boiled dumplings for wealth), and duck (promoting happiness).

Peking Duck from Sacramento’s Hong Kong Islander Restaurant (Photo from Ronald Jan, M.D.)

And more than chicken or turkey, the Peking Duck can present more richness and texture enhanced by the crispy skin. The Peking Duck at Sacramento’s Hong Kong Islander Restaurant met the expectation with the umami savoriness of the fat and the oiliness being tempered by the acid of the Twomey Vineyards’ 2014 Pinot Noir from Russian River. The rich flavor of the Peking Duck and hoi sin sauce’s sweetness was enhanced by the fruitiness of the 2014 Pinot Noir from Russian River whose soft tannins were softened even more by the 8 years of ageing.

2014 Twomey’s Pinot Noir (Photo from Ronald Jan, M.D.)

Dining with food and wine, family and friends during the Chinese New Year Celebration helps all of us to endure this pandemic and leaves us with hope for a brighter year ahead -

THE YEAR OF THE TIGER

Embroidery TIGER (Photo from Ronald Jan, M.D.)

About the author: Dr. Ronald G. Jan who specializes in Vascular Surgery is a Clinical Professor of Surgery at the University of California at Davis School of Medicine. As a hobby, he holds WSET level 3 certification in wines and has been writing and publishing wine commentaries.