A New Wok

 The Wok Shop

My latest culinary journey is Chinese cooking.  

Chinese cuisine has been a favorite of mine my entire life.  The night before I was born, my parents went out for Chinese food.  Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, I always picked The House of Lee in Oakland, California for my birthday dinner.  And, one of the very first cookbooks I ever bought was Chopsticks, Cleaver and Wok by Jennie Low about home-style Chinese cooking.  

 Grace Young Cook Books

Cookbook author, Grace Young has fueled my Chinese cooking journey.  I recently discovered her wonderful cookbooks and Craftsy class The Art of Stir Frying.  Grace is known as The Wok Queen and definitely knows a thing or two about woks.  She generously shares her expertise on the best type of woks to buy along with how to season and care for them.

A wok is essential for authentic Chinese stir-fry cooking.  And, since I believe in having the right kitchen tools for cooking, I decided to replace my older Magnalite aluminum wok with a a real Chinese wok.  And, according to Grace, the best place to buy a wok is San Francisco's The Wok Shop.  So during Chinese New Year, my husband and I made a trip to The Wok Shop.

The Wok

For those of us that cook on residential ranges, Grace recommends the wok shown above which is a 14" carbon steel, flat bottom wok.  Its small flat bottom gets it closer to the flame for high heat stir-frying.  And a nice feature are its wood handles so you don't have to run after pot holders while stir-frying. 

Wok Ambassador, Tane Chan

When you visit The Wok Shop, all you have to do is tell them that Grace Young sent you.  I lucked out on my visit and was helped by the charming owner, Tane Chan.  I didn't have to tell Tane a thing, she knew just the wok I was meant to have. 

If you need a wok, The Wok Shop is the place to go!  

(And they have an online store.)

The Wok Shop

718 Grant Avenue

San Francisco, CA 94108

(415) 989-3797