Peking Duck was once a dish reserved strictly for the Chinese Imperial Court. The first recorded recipe appears in the 'Complete Recipes for Dishes and Beverages' by Hu Sihui, a dietary physician for the imperial kitchen in 1330. The preparation is a rigorous multi-day process. The duck is first 'blown'—air is pumped between the skin and meat to separate them. It is then hung to dry, glazed with maltose syrup, and roasted in a hung oven until the skin becomes translucent and paper-thin. In traditional service, the chef carves the duck into exactly 108 pieces. The focus is primarily on the crispy skin, which is often dipped in sugar before being wrapped in thin pancakes with hoisin sauce and scallions.