Peking Duck is a masterpiece of Chinese imperial cuisine, with a history dating back to the Yuan Dynasty. The most prized feature of the dish is the thin, extremely crispy skin. To achieve this, air is pumped between the skin and the meat to separate them, a process that allows the fat to render out during roasting without making the skin soggy. The duck is then glazed with a syrup of maltose and hung to dry for 24 hours. When roasted in a specialized hung oven, the skin becomes translucent and brittle. Traditionally, the duck is carved in front of the diners into exactly 108 slices, each containing both skin and meat. It is served with thin pancakes, hoisin sauce, and julienned scallions and cucumbers.