Just about every night this time of year, the most seductive smell breezes into my apartment like a taunt. Somewhere some neighbor has fired up a hardwood grill for dinner while I’m trapped with ...

Trim the fat off of the sides of duck leaving it attached to the breast. Score the remaining fat in a checker board design. Mix together the cloves, shallot and canola oil in a small mixing bowl.

Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Hold the duck by the neck and very quickly dunk the bird into the boiling water once or twice until the skin tightens. (Do not let the meat start to cook.) Allow the ...

It’s not the sort of meal you make and serve with a casual shrug: Preparing a whole duck for dinner is an occasion — and a gesture of generosity and serious sentiment.