As a chef, it’s the one question I hear more than any other from aspiring home cooks. They’ve bought a beautiful, expensive bottle of extra-virgin olive oil. They love it. They use it on salads, for dipping bread, for finishing pasta. Now, they’ve just unboxed a brand new carbon-steel wok, and they reach for that…
Let’s paint a picture. You’re in your kitchen, wok in hand, ready to unleash your inner Ken Hom. You’ve got your veggies chopped, your protein marinated. You crank the heat, add your oil, and… BEEEEEP. BEEEEEP. BEEEEEP. The smoke alarm screams, your eyes are watering, and a cloud of acrid smoke fills the room. That,…
Let’s get one thing straight. As a chef, I love olive oil. I adore it. I have three different bottles of extra-virgin olive oil for finishing salads, fish, and even ice cream. But here is a truth I’ve seen countless home cooks ignore at their peril: in most cases, olive oil has no business being…
Ah, the great sesame oil panic. We’ve all been there. You’re halfway through prepping a glorious stir-fry, the wok is heating up, the garlic is minced, and… you reach for the sesame oil. The bottle is empty. A tiny, hollow clink echoes in the pantry, mocking your culinary dreams. Before you toss that wok out…