Discovering Hatch Chiles

By Sandy Hu
The latest from Inside Special Fork

Having returned from Special Fork’s annual summer hiatus, we’re back at work and raring to go! While we enjoyed our time off, all was not play since we were busy gathering material for upcoming blog posts, such as today’s exploration of Hatch Chiles.

My curiosity was piqued when I received a teaser gift package from Molly Stone’s Markets and Melissa’s/World Variety Produce, Inc., announcing a schedule of Hatch Chile roasting days in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Not having cooked with Hatch Chiles myself and spurred by the invitation, I was at Molly Stone’s Pacific Heights market on the appointed roasting day to purchase my chiles at the produce counter. Then it was off to the parking lot to have them roasted in the rotating gas drum until the chiles were blackened and blistered. Packed hot into a plastic bag so they would steam in transit (which made our car smell heavenly), the chiles were ready to peel by the time I returned home.

Click to read more ...

Hitting the (Thai) Sauce

By Sandy Hu

When Lynn cooks, the whole house smells mouthwateringly fragrant. Garlic, chiles and fresh herbs comingle, creating irresistible aromas as inviting as a Thai restaurant. Lynn, my new daughter-in-law, is from Thailand. She’s not a trained cook, but she has an instinctive sense of how to put ingredients together to make delicious Thai meals.

When we made kalua pig after returning from our Hawaiian vacation this summer, Lynn contributed a sprightly Thai dipping sauce that added zest, turning classic Hawaiian into Polynesian-Southeast Asian fusion.

Click to read more ...