Happy Chinese New Year!

By Sandy Hu
The latest from Inside Special Fork

I haven't made a Chinese New Year dinner for friends after the nine-course extravaganza I attempted when I was 25 or so, living in New York City. I don't know what inspired that madness. I just remember the exhaustion.

If you've followed my posts, you may remember that our family doesn't celebrate Chinese New Year, with all its lovely traditions, embraced by many Chinese-American families. While my heritage is Japanese, I would have tried to nurture the custom, if it had significance for Steve. But his family didn't observe Chinese New Year either, possibly because my mother-in-law was a third-generation Chinese-American and China was a long time in her family’s past.

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Valentine’s Day Made Easy

By Sandy Hu
The latest from Inside Special Fork

After Tara was born, we started the tradition of Friday night family dinners. It’s a great way to ensure that Steve and I get to see our granddaughter at least once a week, as well as, of course, our two sons and daughter-in-law.

This dinner is just an everyday family meal – often featuring a recipe we’ve posted on Special Fork, or one from the Special Fork database of recipes.

If Friday night dinner falls close to an occasion, such as Halloween or Valentine’s Day, I like to set a themed table to create a festive mood. This Friday, it’s hearts and flowers.

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A Cookie that's Sweet & Southern

By Sandy Hu
The latest from Inside Special Fork

Ben Mims, Associate Editor at Food & Wine magazine, thrives in sophisticated cities like New York and San Francisco, where he has lived his culinary life. But when it comes to food – and especially sweets – there’s a special place in his heart for Kosciuko, Mississippi, a small town an hour north of Jackson, where he grew up.

Ben captures the nostalgia of his youth with mouthwatering descriptions of the endless parade of desserts his family baked, in Sweet & Southern, Classic Desserts with a Twist, published last year by Rizzoli International Publications, Inc. With luscious photos, recipes and tips, we are transported to the Deep South and Ben’s family table.

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Last-Minute Dips for the Big Game

By Sandy Hu
The latest from Inside Special Fork

Whether you’re into the game or just in it for the commercials; whether you’re hosting a party, going to a potluck, or home alone; we’ll all be noshing on snacks on Sunday, glued to the big-screen TV.

No football snacking lineup is complete without a few dips. Whether with chips or veggies, something crunchy teamed with a creamy dunk can be your menu’s MVP.

Some Dip Trivia
Dips came of age in the U.S. a decade before Super Bowl I. They emerged when cocktail parties became chic in the 1950s and required finger foods that could be consumed while milling about, cocktail glass in hand, according to Kitchen Culture, Fifty Years of Food Fads, by Gerry Schremp.

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Some Faves from the Winter Fancy Food Show

By Sandy Hu
The latest from Inside Special Fork

There are many ways to develop a 30-minute prep recipe, as you know, if you follow our recipes on Special Fork. Using no-fuss meats like ground beef or chicken is one timesaver. Another is to build a recipe around bold-flavored ingredients like sun-dried tomatoes that pack enough of a punch that few additional ingredients are required.

Still another way to streamline prep time is with specialty foods. Prepared marinades, meal kits and sauce mixes bring the world to your table – making biryani, bulgogi or Thai green curry as easy as opening a package and adding a few fresh ingredients.

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