Walnut Pesto and Basil Envy

By Sandy Hu

I have low expectations of the herbs growing in my garden. It’s not their fault. We coddle them when they’re first planted; then we get busy and forget all about them and they’re left to their own devices.

So Steve bought a new crop of herbs over the weekend from the Alemany Farmers’ Market. Flat-leaf parsley, French tarragon, French thyme, sage and Moroccan mint – they’re sitting on our wall until he gets them into the garden beds. I hope these are the independent types that can fend for themselves.

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How to Stir-Fry

By Joy Liao

Stir-frying is one of those cooking methods that sounds relatively easy to master. I mean, how difficult is it to throw a bunch of ingredients in a pan and call it a meal? Of course, if you've ever tried that method, chances are you've had your fair share of tough, dried pieces of meat and soggy over-cooked veggies swimming in a brothy mess. You scratch your head wondering why this resembles nothing remotely close to the stir-fry from your trusty Chinese takeout.

At this point, you might surrender and leave it up to the experts with their big, powerful industrial ranges and iron woks. But do not despair, there is hope. You can still enjoy a delicious stir-fry without dialing up your favorite takeout.

Check out the video below for tips on how to perfect a quick and healthy homemade stir-fry. And the best part? You can do it in less time that it takes to deliver those cartons to your doorstep.

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Crazy Love

By Marilyn Hunter

Ben and Nick have a crazy love for peanut brittle. It must come from me because affection for salty peanuts cooked in hard-crack sugar is a southern tradition. I grew up eating all sorts of combinations of toasty nuts encased in simple sugar concoctions. Peanut brittle and pecan pralines topped the list, especially on family excursions to my great Aunt Lucille’s kitchen in Louisiana.

Brittles are best when there’s just enough sugar to hold the nuts together. The basic recipe is simple, but you can get really adventurous with international and exotic flavors. Andrew and I have introduced ginger, lemongrass, kaffir lime, and even spicy chili powders to our boys. Our theory is, if we introduce challenging flavors in something they can’t resist like sugar, they’ll be more inclined to eat the same in savory sauces, stir-frys and curries.

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Seeing Green: Verdant Sauces across the Globe

By Katie Barreira

Last week, our tongues took a virtual field trip to Frankfurt for a taste of the country’s customary green sauce. But German cuisine isn’t alone in the notion.

In Italy, salsa verde is a mash of parsley, capers, garlic and anchovies, thinned with oil and vinegar. Order haricots verts with sauce verte at a Parisian café and your delicate green beans will come dressed in a green mayonnaise, colored with a purée of watercress, tarragon or other spring herb.

Argentineans love their steak smothered in chimichurri, a thick blend of parsley and oregano seasoned with cayenne or other hot pepper. And in Mexico, enchiladas aren’t complete without green salsa.

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Prop Shopping for Special Fork

Tempting shelves at Sur la Table

By Sandy Hu

Sunday was like Christmas, as Steve and I went prop shopping in the East Bay for Special Fork. Shooting at least two food photos a week, we needed to augment my personal collection of dinnerware with fresh props. Fortunately for the budget, instead of buying place settings, we only required one each of any given thing.

I admit I’m no prop stylist or food stylist, but I’ve worked with many top professionals to produce mouthwatering food photography for clients. So I’ve learned a thing or two that I can apply to Special Fork photos.

We went to Sur la Table, the Seattle-based cookware store that has several San Francisco Bay Area branches, the Crate & Barrel outlet in Berkeley and the Ikea store in Emeryville. And we came home with shopping bags stuffed with goodies.

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