EU mandarins force Peking duck off the menu .

It is a firm favourite in Chinese restaurants the length and
breadth of the country, but crispy Peking duck faces extinction at the
hands of the European Union.



The traditional gas ovens used to cook the dish, which are made in China and
imported into Britain, have fallen foul of Europe-wide regulations over
carbon monoxide emissions.

Eleven restaurants have already had their ovens permanently closed by council
environmental health officers in Westminster, London, and a further 39 have
been issued with notices saying they must replace the ovens with models
which meet the higher standards.

They face having to pay up to £4,000 for replacement appliances approved by
gas watchdog Corgi, despite the fact that there have been no reported
problems involving faulty ovens.It is now feared that the move could be copied by local authorities across
Britain, forcing the popular dish off the menu at thousands of restaurants
and takeaways.

The ban has been condemned by celebrity chef Ken Hom, who said he was "livid"
about the decision.

He said: "It's absurd. What do the Europeans know about making Chinese
duck? It's just as outrageous as people in Hong Kong being told they can't
make fish and chips."

The ovens are being switched off because they do not carry the CE (Conformité
Européenne) mark which shows they adhere to rules set down by bureaucrats in
Brussels.

It follows similar action carried out by the same council in 2005 when it
targeted burners used on tables at Korean restaurants. It is also
investigating traditional Indian TandoorCORR ovens.

A spokesman for Westminster Council insisted the move was "not the end
for crispy duck", however, and that it was talking to the capital's
Chinese community about the issue.

Councillor Daniel AstaireCORR, cabinet member for community protection at the
council, said: "If an oven has safety failings it will be taken out of
service immediately.

"We are working closely with the Chinese community to make sure gas duck
ovens which are normally imported directly from China and are not CE marked
are safe for both restaurant workers and the public."

Crispy duck is prepared by forcing air between the skin and the meat of the
bird before roasting, leaving the skin extra crispy.





Duck's off.

Looks like a typical telegraph scare story.

Point 1. Corgi are no longer the regulatory body for gas

Point 2. The crisp duck that is served in the UK is "Aromatic Crispy Duck"

Point 3. Peking duck is cooked in a clay oven