EU bans Chinese from cooking Peking Duck
It is one of the most popular Chinese dishes but Peking Duck could become a thing of the past after a European ban on the ovens used to prepare it.
Because the Chinese ovens do not have the CE (Conformité Européenne) mark restaurants and takeaways are being banned from using them.
In London's Chinatown dozens of Chinese restaurants have had their ovens taped shut - if they continue to use them they risk being closed all together.
Despite there being no health problems linked to the ovens council health and safety say that because they do not meet safety standards on carbon-monoxide emissions laid down by Brussels they cannot be used.
The giant ovens - which can fit up to 30 ducks at a time - are heated by a central burner and can reach temperatures of 300c.
Peking Roast Duck is a famous duck dish from Beijing that has been prepared since the Yuan Dynasty, and is now considered one of China's national foods.
The meat is often eaten with pancakes, spring onions, and hoisin sauce or sweet noodle sauce.
I WORK IN LONDON , & LIVE IN CHINATOWN,
THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR THE PAST FIVE WEEK, NEARLEY ALL RESTAURANT OF CHINESE/ASIAN CUSINE HAS BEEN VISTED, AND AN INPROVEMENT NOTICE OR PROHIBITION NOTICE BEEN GIVING BY THE CITY OF WESTMINSTER. MAINLY ON DUCK OVEN, BUT ALSO ON OTHER EQUIMENT
(DONE BY WESTMINSTER EHO OFFICER WITH NO CORGI GAS ENGINEER PRESENT)
MANY RESTAURANT HAS HAD A GAS SAFTY REPORT DONE TO DEEM THE DUCK OVEN & OTHER EQUIMENT IS SAFE TO USE , BUT THIS HAS BEEN REJECT BY THE CITY OF WESTMINSTER.
I KNOW MANY BUSINESS WILL GO BANKRUPT OR STRUGGLE TO STAY OPEN, AS THE DUCK OVEN PRODUCE MOST OFF THERE PRODUCT ie ROAST DUCK, BARBCLE PORK, CRISPY PORK, SUCKLING PIG AS WELL AS MANY OTHER DISHES
THE CITY OF WESTMINSTER HAS HAD MANY MEETING WITH THE CHINESE BUSINESS IN THE AREA, BUT MANY FEEL THAT WESTMINSTER HAS NOT BEEN VERY HELPFUL, AND HAS NOT BEEN TELLING THE WHOLE STORY, ABOUT HOW WE CAN RESOLVE THE ISSUSE WITH THEM, PLEASE KEEP WATCHING AS THING DEVLOPED