A Summer Project

Special Fork is on summer hiatus from August 5 through Labor Day. Each Monday, while we’re on vacation, I’ll present another facet of Special Fork and highlight some features you might have missed.

By Sandy Hu
The latest from Inside Special Fork

Like going on vacation, the start of summer seems to stretch on languorously, with the bright promise of many leisurely days ahead. But about the midpoint of a vacation – and of summer – the days begin to quicken, flying by so briskly that the second half seems shorter than the first.

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No Regrets!

By Sandy Hu

Some years, summer seems to just pass me by. It’s Memorial Day, we invite a few friends and we grill something. And next it’s Labor Day and summer’s over. I’m left wondering, where did the season go?

Like New Year’s resolutions, this summer, I’m making a list of all I hope to accomplish in food. Since Wednesday was the first day of summer, I don’t think I’m too late with my checklist.

My goals are to take advantage of seasonal fruits and vegetables to make classic summer dishes, and to capture and preserve the taste of summer to savor the rest of the year. I want to do all of this effortlessly, of course, without spending hours in the kitchen.

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It’s a Wrap!

By Sandy Hu

Part of the fun of homemade food gifts is wrapping them for giving. Here are some of the foods we’ve cooked and baked recently, and how we packaged them for presents.

First the food gifts, all taking no more than 30 minutes of prep time (except for the sugar cookies):

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Strawberries in a Jam

By Sandy Hu

In the summer, when strawberries are at their peak, I always buy a few extra pints to make fresh strawberry jam. This jam is so quick and easy, it shouldn’t take you more than 20 minutes from start to finish.

Because the berries aren’t cooked, the jam maintains an intense, fresh strawberry flavor. It’s perfect topping buttered bread or toast. But it’s also delicious mixed with yogurt, topping oatmeal or spooned on vanilla ice cream.

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