There comes a time in every culinary challenged persons life when they buy a wok.
That moment arrived for me when I was 23 years old and my mother bought me the best wok in the shop. Behold, the Typhoon. A 35cm double handled traditional steel wok.
It saw 2 and 3 times weekly action, sometimes more.
It was the stepping stone I needed to discover "the stir fry" method from which countless incarnations of Indian, Thai, Chinese and Mexican dishes have borne forth. It's perhaps the easiest quickest way to knock up a meal for one or a house full of friends. And on a boat, this single item of galley paraphernalia is a vital component to crew happiness.
It was the stepping stone I needed to discover "the stir fry" method from which countless incarnations of Indian, Thai, Chinese and Mexican dishes have borne forth. It's perhaps the easiest quickest way to knock up a meal for one or a house full of friends. And on a boat, this single item of galley paraphernalia is a vital component to crew happiness.
But, 14 years on and after 4 years of living in a cupboard, frequently awash with water, the typhoon is looking very sorry for itself.
Neglected due to its insane size, brought out on fewer and fewer occasions, the wok that uses an entire 3 burner optimus stove top has reached the end of its useful life.
It spans the entire surface of the gimballed cooker and is impossible to stow anywhere practical. I've put off replacing it because it holds so many memories of evenings with friends. And it was a present from my mum (one of the best ever, but she would never know it as she's never actually been here long enough for me to cook a meal)
Neglected due to its insane size, brought out on fewer and fewer occasions, the wok that uses an entire 3 burner optimus stove top has reached the end of its useful life.
It spans the entire surface of the gimballed cooker and is impossible to stow anywhere practical. I've put off replacing it because it holds so many memories of evenings with friends. And it was a present from my mum (one of the best ever, but she would never know it as she's never actually been here long enough for me to cook a meal)
So say hello to the newest, neatest, smaller but hopefully high performing kitchen beast. The Prestige.
A stainless steel, shiny thing that I hope will last as long as the Typhoon. And I hope will be the centre of the table for many more friendship gatherings to come.
A stainless steel, shiny thing that I hope will last as long as the Typhoon. And I hope will be the centre of the table for many more friendship gatherings to come.
It's these small things that take life on board a boat from bearable to wonderful.
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