If you live in the North, chances are it’s pretty cold out. Up here in good ol’ NYC, we’re anticipating a balmy high of around 20 degrees Fahrenheit tomorrow, so we need to warm up—and fast. But, since it’s a little too early for a glass of whiskey [checks clock for the 15th time today], what is a cold Yankee to do? Well, crank some at-home hot pot, of course. “But, I don’t have any of the gear for doing hot pot at home!” you’re probably saying to your computer, since that’s a thing you do now. Well, you’re wrong—you don’t have any of the gear for doing hot pot at home, yet. Lucky for you, the Chinese-food lords at Fly By Jing have you covered.
Fly By Jing—one of our favorite online craft food platforms that specializes in Sichuan flavors and ingredients, and the purveyors of some amazing ready-to-cook dumplings and chile crisp—just dropped its Year of Taste Collection, a suite of mix-and-match products that give home chefs an arsenal of essential kitchen upgrades. We’re most excited about The Hot Pot Starter Set, which comes with everything you need to build a restaurant-quality fire hot pot at home. Whether you’re still uneasy about dining out, don’t want to brave the frigid trip from your door to the subway, or you’re physically unable to remove yourself from the couch while Euphoria is on, the Year of Taste Collection is here to help crush your winter woes.
The Hot Pot Starter Set (opens in a new window)
If you’re not already familiar with the absolute delight that is hot pot, it’s a traditional meal format that involves dipping meat, vegetables, dumplings, and other delicious things into a simmering, seasoned broth at the center of the table, and it’s especially popular in the winter and on holidays. The Hot Pot Starter Set features an electric hot pot in Fly By Jing’s signature shade of red, with an easy-to-use temperature control dial, two sets of sleek silver chopsticks, and a pair of slotted spoons that hook right onto the edge of the pot, so you won’t have to worry about fishing around the bottom of the bowl for a lost utensil. Along with the hardware, the set includes two sachets of the brand’s wildly popular Fire Hot Pot Base, “a spicy, tingly, and complex all-natural base that will electrify your tastebuds”—which is great to have on hand, since DIY hot pot broth, while delicious, can be a little laborious to prepare. Just whack a sachet into the hot pot, add water, and let it rip.
Fly By Jing was started as a supper club by Jing Gao, a chef, entrepreneur, and renowned expert on Chinese cuisine, and is now an online pantry on a mission to bring uncensored Chinese flavors to the world. All of its kitchen essentials—including the wildly popular, mouth-numbing Sichuan Chili Crisp, which was the best-selling hot sauce on Amazon just six months after it dropped—are rooted in Sichuan tradition, made in California, and designed for eating however (and whenever) you’d like.
Now, hot pot wouldn’t be complete without some of Fly By Jing’s delicious, cult-fave chile oils, and oh, happy day: Two new ones just dropped. Fly By Jing’s new Chili Pepper Oil is a hot, fragrant oil that adds some kick to pretty much any dish you can think of (even ice cream—trust us), that’s made with a custom blend of chiles and infused with aromatics and spices, and is sure to become your new everyday dish-finisher. The Tribute Pepper Oil adds dimension to your food with a bouquet of heady citrus. You can buy the two oils separately, or pick them up together by snagging The Add Oil Duo—and best of all, you can use the promo code VICE to get 10% off while supplies last.
Chili Pepper Oil (opens in a new window)
The Add Oil Duo (opens in a new window)
Tribute Pepper Oil (opens in a new window)
Who needs a space heater when you’ve got a scalding hot pot at home to keep you warm from the inside out? Not us, that’s for sure. [Rips open bag of dumplings.]
The Rec Room staff independently selected all of the stuff featured in this story.
