Season the duck pieces with the salt and pepper.

In a large Dutch oven, over medium high heat place the duck, skin side down, and brown well on all sides. Once browned, remove from the pan and set aside. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes and then add the apples and cabbage. Cook for another 5 minutes and then add the hard cider. Allow the cider to reduce by half. Add the duck back to the pan along with the stock, bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Cover and simmer until the duck is cooked through and almost falling off the bone, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove the duck from the pan and pull the meat from the bones. Shred the meat, discard the bones  and add the shredded meat back to the pan.

Serve the braised duck with spaetzle or egg noodles.