Hot pot, where each of us has a role, where everything is communal, where the point is to talk and laugh and share and convince someone else to finish off that last piece because god, I think I’ll burst if I try to eat one more oyster mushroom. Huǒguō showed me how much better things could be when shared with others; how many lovely things we miss out when we don’t participate in community; the importance of taking each person’s needs and preferences into account. How goddamned beautiful it is when we consider others.
Kelsea Yu has written a gorgeous essay on her family's annual huǒguō feast. This piece dives deep into what an annual celebration can teach us about caring for community, in good times and in hard times. This piece is accompanied by a recipe & guidelines for putting together your own hot pot meal. Kelsea and her mother Pearl share an incredibly generous amount of insight on variations, modifications, and even equipment options.
Go read the essay and get the recipe here!