Two Woks
Hsiao-Ching Chou
This wok represents a new beginning. I bought it for practical purposes, but when Grace Young visited Seattle on book tour for "Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge," I was reminded that a wok could actually be an heirloom. I hadn't taken very good care of my carbon steel wok and let it languish in storage as I opted to use a (gasp!) non-stick wok. But after looking at Grace's new book, I was inspired to revive my carbon steel wok. (Grace rehabilitated my old wok, giving it a "facial" to remove the rust.) I had decided that I should be more diligent about cooking in it. I also decided I would get a second wok, season it with care and cook in it. Then, one day twenty or so years from now, I will give each of my children a wok that has the memory of their childhoods and the many Chinese dishes that will have been stir-fried in it.