The Answer to Something Sweet

By Ben Mims
For Cooking Newbie, a blog for beginner cooks

After every meal I eat, I always need something sweet. It's been the bane of my body all my life, but the boon to my soul.

However, when it gets hot outside, I only want something icy-cold and refreshing. But thanks to my lactose intolerance, ice cream is out of the question. And sorbets…well, let’s just say I've never tasted one worth having again.

My solution is chilled pudding that I keep in the fridge in tiny cups and dole out to myself when I need a quick, sweet, cold fix. The secret to mine is coconut milk and very little sugar, which keeps it somewhat healthy, or at least less horrible than traditional pudding, and allows me to add fruit or whatever else I want as toppings to sweeten it up more naturally.

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Sangria for a San Francisco Summer

By Sandy Hu
The latest from Inside Special Fork

We pretend at summer in San Francisco. Even on sunny days, unless it’s truly sweltering, the weather gets breezy in the afternoons and the air cools down. So while we can enjoy lunch on the deck, it’s a rare evening when we can do dinners al fresco.

Still, we grill, even if only to eat dinner indoors. And on summer evenings, I like a nice glass of dry rosé, which reminds me that in Provence, my favorite hot weather place to be, the days are dry and scorching, the cicadas are thrumming and all is right with the world.

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Happy Birthday, America!

Special Fork is taking the day off to celebrate Independence Day.

Musing about July 4 and what it will mean in the future, John Adams wrote to his wife, Abigail, “I believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be celebrated by pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other…”

Have a wonderful holiday!

Dave, Sandy and the Special Fork team

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More Peas, Please

By Lori Powell
For One or Two Bites, a blog for singles and couples

Peas in a pod are such as treat at this time of the year. But their time is almost over because fresh peas are technically a spring fling, while we’ve turned the corner into summer. Upstate New York is a bit behind with harvesting peas because the climate is just a tad cooler than other areas.

You certainly can buy peas already shucked or cook with their frozen cousins all year long. But I like the seasonal tradition of shucking them yourself.

I usually take the task outside with two bowls in hand, a chair that sits in partial shade and have at it. It is my kind of kitchen Zen or meditation, where simple, humble tasks help to free up your mind by doing something that people have done for hundreds of years in the same way. My house, almost 200 years old, most likely saw some of this action many a spring and summer on the porch that is sadly, now gone.

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The Ultimate Weeknight Meal

By Ben Mims
For Cooking Newbie, a blog for beginner cooks

Whenever I’m strapped for ideas and ingredients to make a quick weeknight meal, there’s one dish I can always rely on: polenta. Essentially “Italian grits,” polenta is simply cooked ground dried corn kernels. In their uncooked form, they last for months. I always have some in the pantry and it’s at its best when cooked with just some salt and pepper.

Since it’s summer, and I like my polenta hot from the stove, I make a fresh tomato sauce and chill it down for contrast when eating this piping hot polenta. Use fresh tomatoes if you have some, but canned always work as well, since they’re canned at the height of freshness and flavor.

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