* 1 live duck
    * 1/2 cup vinegar
    * 1 stalk celery, chopped
    * a few sprigs parsley
    * 1 small onion, chopped
    * bouquet garni of 4 whole allspice, 4 whole cloves, and 4 whole peppercorns, tied into a piece of cloth
    * 2 cups dried mixed fruit, made up of about 10 dried pitted prunes, 1/2 cup dried cherries or raisins, and dried apples and/or pears (some people don't add this dried fruit to the soup, but it is traditional)
    * 2 Tablespoons flour
    * 1/2 cup sour cream
    * 1 teaspoon sugar
    * salt to taste

Garnish: raw potato dumplings (Make a stiff dough of 2 cups grated (and drained) raw potatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 beaten eggs, 1½ cups flour, and ½ cup dry bread crumbs)

Kill the duck; chop off its head. Catch the blood in a glass or pottery bowl. Stir in the vinegar to keep it from clotting; set aside in fridge to cool. In the meantime, pluck and dress the duck.

Place the duck carcass, including the neck, heart, liver, and gizzards into a large stockpot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Skim the stock, reduce heat to a simmer. Add the celery, parsley, onion, and the small spice bag to the stock. Cook slowly until the duck meat is done - about 2 hours. Remove the spice bag from the soup and discard. Lift the duck carcass from the soup and pull the meat off the bones; put the meat back into the soup. Add the dried fruit and cook about another half hour.

Blend the flour into the sour cream, then slowly mix into the blood-vinegar mixture. Slowly (or it will curdle) add about 1 cup of the hot soup stock to the blood-vinegar-flour-sour cream mixture, stir well, and add it all to the stock pot. Add the sugar, add salt to taste, and if necessary add a bit more vinegar. It should have a slight sweet/sour 'nip' to it.

When ready to serve, drop the still potato dumpling dough by small spoonfuls into the boiling soup stock or salted water. They are done as soon as they float to the top.