Home made Duck Essence and Raw Newly laid chicken Eggs

The Foochows are very fond of steaming ducks to make a good soup, or a great Essence of Duck.

Most of my generation grew up in the 50's and 60's learning about nourishing soups for the elders, so that they would live long , say up to 100 years old. To live up to 100 years old was the aspiration of many Foochows. So along the way, if they can afford it, they will eat a lot of nourishing food to replenish their energy. Ib those by gone days we did not have supplements and health foods.

Hard work usually saps their energy so they needed extra "food" to replenish it and maintain a healthy body.

Many of pur elders were lucky to have wives who were fabulous cooks and knowledegeable about nourishing food.

In general, for example, most of my aunts would often prepare a good duck essence from time to time to help their men replenish their strength. Ducks and chickens were grown in their own back yard so to get a bird for make an essence was easy.







I often thought to myself in those days, the women folks worked just as hard, if not harder. And they would never ever rewarded themselves with a bowl of duck essence.

We had a few good laughs during the Chinese New Year visit when we talked about chicken and egg thieves during the curfew days.

My grandmother in Nang Chong kept a few chickens to lay eggs in the cages which were very properly built. Eggs would roll out of the cages and every one would get excited because the hens sang their own praises.

For over a few days, no eggs could be picked so my aunt became very suspicious. She laid a plan to find out the reason.

One day she caught a naughty uncle who actually ate two of the newly laid eggs by the chicken coop!!

Actually the story did go around at that time but as a child I only thought that this uncle was just looking for a good breakfast as he was too lazy to cook.

Much later on in life when I was past 50 I joined old noisy ladies getting together to tell old stories about old men. The ladies repeatedly shared why Foochow men loved to eat raw chicken eggs. There was a rural folk belief that eating raw eggs, still warm from the laying, would improve their libido and lengthen their life!!

Well it is up to you to believe in old wives' tales.

To the Chinese, duck soup is nourshing and eggs are auspicious food, a symbol of fertility, of longevity, of new life.