Granny's Western Style Peking Duck

4 lb (to 5lb) duckling
1/2 tesp Each ground ginger and -cinnamon
1/4 tesp Each ground nutmeg & -white pepper
1/8 tesp Ground cloves
3 tbs Soy sauce
5 Whole green onions
1 tbs Honey
1/2 c Plum sauce Granny's Plum SauceSC62 or Lynn's Plum SauceSC137
fresh cilantro
18 Mandarin pancakes (recipe -follows)

Rinse duck inside and out and pat dry; cut off tail and discard; reserve giblets for another use. Mix together ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper and cloves. Sprinkle 1/2 t of spice mixture inside duck. Stir 1 T of the soy into remaining spice mixture, then rub evenly over exterior of bird. Cut one of the green onions in half and tuck inside cavity of duck. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until next day. Set duck, breast side up, on a rack over 1 1/2 to 2 inches boiling water. Cover and steam for one hour, adding more water, if necessary, as it evaporates. Cool duck so it firms slightly, then drain and discard juices and green onion from cavity. Set duck, breast side up, on a rack in a baking pan and prick skin all over with a fork. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes. Blend remaining 2 T soy with honey and brush on duck. Turn oven temperature to 500 degrees. Bake for 5 minutes or until skin becomes richly browned; do not allow skin to char. While duck is roasting, cut remaingin green onions and tops in 1 1/2 inch pieces, then cut lengthwise in thin strips. Serve green onions and plum sauce in separate bowls. When duck is roasted, slice off skin and cut into roughly 2 inch square pieces. Slice meat into bite-size pieces. Reserve bones for duck soup. Arrange skin and duck pieces on a serving plate and garnish with cilantro. To eat, put a small piece of skin and meat on a mandarin pancake. Top with a few green onion slivers and a dab of plum sauce, then fold pancake around duck and eat with your hands.

Makes 18 pancakes.

Mandarin Pancakes
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup boiling water
1/4 teaspoon salt
Sesame oil

Mix flour, water and salt until dough holds together, adding 2 tablespoons water if necessary; shape into a ball. Knead on lightly floured board until smooth, about 8 minutes. Shape dough into 9-inch roll; cut into 1-inch slices. Cut each slice into halves. Cover pieces of dough with plastic wrap to prevent drying.

Shape each piece of dough into a ball; flatten slightly. Roll each ball into a 3-inch circle on lightly floured surface. Brush top of one circle with oil; top with another circle. Roll each double circle into 6- or 7-inch circle on lightly floured surface. Stack circles between pieces of wax paper to prevent drying. Repeat with remaining pieces of dough.

Heat skillet over medium heat until warm. Cook one circle at a time in ungreased skillet, turning frequently, until pancake is blistered by air pockets and becomes slightly translucent, about 2 minutes. Do not brown or overcook, or pancake will become brittle. Carefully separate into 2 pancakes. Fold each pancake into fourths, keeping covered. Repeat with remaining pancakes.

Reheat pancakes by placing on heat-proof plate or rack in steamer. Cover and steam over boiling water 10 minutes.

From childhood's hour I have not been As others were; I have not seen
As others saw; I could not bring My passions from a common spring.
From the same source I have not taken My sorrow; I could not awaken
My heart to joy at the same tone; And all I loved, I loved alone.

-From "Alone", by Edgar Allen Poe