Welcome to this week’s edition of The Four. I’m just back from a week in Virginia and trying to hit the ground running, but what, it’s already Labor Day?! How did that happen? I feel like I’m never going to catch up. Hopefully I’ll hit my stride soon and will be making pumpkin-everything before you know it.

I made a peach pie this week for my parents. There were ripe Georgia peaches at the market and it just seemed like the right thing to do. The recipe is below. I have made ratatouille twice in the past 5 days and simplified my technique a bit, then baked it in the oven with a little cheese on top. It was well received both times so you’ve got the recipe at #3 below. I finished a book that was so funny and enjoyable; I loved it and can heartily recommend it. One of my daughters was reading it obsessively a few weeks ago and she was laughing. I had to read it too. Lastly, I’m no make-up expert, but I do have favorites. I’ve listed a few below at #2. Read on.

1. Peach Pie

So apparently summer is coming to an end, but there are still peaches out there. For your Labor Day celebration, I humbly propose a peach pie. I used the same flakey dough I showed you last week for the tomato tart, but I didn’t make enough for a lattice, to my chagrin, so in the photo you may notice some little circles of dough on top. I cut out disks of the little extra dough I did have and scored them like a peach but the effect was not really noticeable and they kind of look like weird banana slices on top of my pie. A lattice would’ve been much preferable. The amounts in the dough recipe below will provide you with enough to roll out a lattice if you want to. Otherwise wrap and freeze the extra dough for another use.

Equipment Needed:

Pyrex pie plate (old school but works great, and you can see the browning of the bottom crust)

Metal Pie Plate (the thin metal helps bottom crusts brown)

Le Creuset Stoneware pie plate (heirloom quality and very pretty)

Rolling pin

Pastry wheel cutter

Pie recipe:

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I lovingly assembled a gratin the other day. I roasted slices of eggplant and zucchini, seasoned them simply with olive oil, salt, and pepper. I picked cherry tomatoes and fresh thyme from the garden. I made a creamy béchamel then added Gruyere which melted into the white sauce. I seasoned the sauce with a little of that fresh thyme as well. Crushed cherry tomatoes made up the first layer at the bottom of the gratin dish, then I began layering the roasted eggplant and zucchini, napping each layer with a coating of béchamel. The finishing touch was the remaining Gruyere. It looked wonderful going into the oven. Best laid plans: I overcooked it whilst engaged in a game of Catan with my kids. Everyone still loved it, and it was very tasty, but the color was too deep and the presentation was not what I’d hoped for. Oh well, it happens, and I didn’t even win at Catan! Just know that things can and will go wrong in the kitchen; it’s not the end of the world and sometimes there are happy accidents. This gratin still turned out to be delicious, and I encourage you to make it with some high summer produce.

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Hi everyone,

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Four. I’m in Virginia, helping my parents out. We just heard the news that Dolly Parton died. Definitely wondering how the grim reaper could take a saint like Dolly Parton but leave us with the corrupt trash gilding every corner of DC, but whatever. I remember my dad listening to Dolly Parton when I was little. Long family car trips saw my father firmly in control of the radio dial and that meant country music for the duration. I thought Dolly Parton was literally the most beautiful woman I had ever laid eyes on. We all could’ve used 10 or 20 more years of Dolly, especially right now. I will miss her.

This week I’ve got two (actually three) lovely recipes for you: a French Tomato Tart and the recipe for my flakey tart dough that I use for it, and Blueberry Lemon Cream Scones. These scones can be made the day before, refrigerated, and baked off the morning you want to serve them. I love that kind of convenience. I’m also obsessing over a sweater, already, and I gave my daughter a silk robe for her wedding day prep, and I’d love one for myself now. Read on.

1. French Tomato Tart

There are many renditions of tomato tarts. This is one of my favorites, but I know there are others out there, different but equally delicious. I love the tang that the Dijon mustard imparts, but I caution you to use vine ripe tomatoes. Hothouse varieties need not apply. It’s still tomato season, so make this tart and serve it with a simple green salad. Bon appétit!

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When I cut into the layers, I noticed some errant green flecks and wondered for a moment if I had grated some zucchini into the cake batter as well. I hadn’t, turns out that grated carrot can sometimes react with baking soda and turn green! Who knew?! Have you ever noticed this in your carrot cakes? Can’t say that I have but I do sometimes add some grated zucchini and that would explain it.

My son doesn’t like walnuts and raisins in baked goods, so I didn’t add any, although if you’d like to, add about a ½ cup of each.

The carrot flowers are a nice touch. I saw a photo from desociointhekitchen.com with a similar design and copied it. Look for rainbow carrots if you can find them, but the garden variety orange works just fine. The trick is to slice your carrot shavings very thinly so they are easier to roll. Secure the rolls with a bit of toothpick. The greenery is sprigs of rosemary but thyme sprigs would be pretty too.

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I’ve been making spritzers this week, ostensibly to use up some leftover white wine that was taking up valuable real estate in my fridge. I made one on Wednesday (when I thought it was Thursday) and …

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Hi Everyone!

Welcome to the monthly FREE edition of The Four. To say thank you to all my subscribers, paid and free, who read along every week, I publish a mid-month newsletter with no paywall. Of course, if you’d like to become a paid subscriber, I would love it, as it supports my work, allowing me to write every week and provide you with more recipes and cooking inspo than you receive as a free subscriber. However I will leave that choice up to you. This week I’m bringing you two recipes I made recently which are definitely family-approved, and also quick and easy to make on a busy weeknight. I’ve also got a couple of recent obsessions for you so please, read on.

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1. Crispy Chicken Thighs with Shallot Cream Sauce

A simple dinner made luscious by the addition of cream. Get a nice crispy crust on the thighs, then finish them off in a bath of cream and aromatics in the oven. Really delicious and appropriate for a week night because it’s ready fairly quickly. I experimented with starting my chicken thighs skin side down in a cold pan, something I’ve seen online and wanted to try. It actually worked really well. If you try this technique, you can eliminate the tablespoons of butter and olive oil at the beginning of the recipe, at least initially. If your chicken skin doesn’t render enough fat (or if you sub skinless thighs), you may need to add one or the other before sautéing the shallots.

Equipment Needed:

Staub braiser

10” cast iron skillet

Recipe:

• 4-5 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs

• Kosher salt and ground black pepper

• 1 T unsalted butter

• 1 T olive oil

• 2-3 large shallots, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)

• ½ c dry white wine

• ½ c chicken stock or broth

• 2 t chopped fresh thyme

• ½ c heavy cream

• 1 T unsalted butter (optional)

• 2 T chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and season on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat one tablespoon of butter and one tablespoon of olive oil in an oven-safe large skillet or braiser. Add chicken skin side down and cook until the skin is golden, 5-7 minutes. Turn and cook on the other side for about 5 minutes more. Transfer chicken to a plate (chicken will further cook with sauce later).

If you have excess fat in the pan, pour some off, reserving about 2 tablespoons. Add shallots to the pan and cook for 5 minutes to soften. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for a minute, stirring. Increase the heat to high and add the wine, and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Reduce the wine by half, then add in the stock. Continue to simmer, reducing the sauce for 5-7 minutes.

Lower heat and add the thyme and cream. Return chicken to the pan with any juices that have collected on the plate. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for about 10 minutes, until chicken is cooked through (165F on a digital thermometer).

Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve over buttered noodles or rice.

2. La Bonne Brosse

While in Paris this summer, I was captivated by the marketing for this high-end hairbrush. I saw them in Le Bon Marché and boutiques around the city; I almost succumbed. The message is seductive: fresh faced French founders with swingy, shiny hair talk about how brushing with La Bonne Brosse will change your hair, and hence your life. I will say the handle is particularly ergonomic, and the brush has a nice heft to it, exuding quality and French-ness, necessary qualities for a $200 hairbrush. There are different models for all types of hair, but the most versatile is the No.1 with boar bristles that, with regular brushing, distribute the scalp’s natural sebum the length of the hair shaft, moisturizing and stimulating scalp health. I already have a perfectly good boar bristle hairbrush from the Crown Affair but I hardly use it, except to mitigate morning bedhead prior to heading to the gym. The trick to healthy hair, not surprisingly, is to actually use the brush, which I haven’t been doing. I’m not sure when I stopped but these days, I comb out tangles after washing, air or blow dry, and add styling product if I’m going anywhere. Remember your grandmother/mother/aunt saying to brush 100 strokes every night before bed? Since returning from France, my goal has been to brush my hair at least 25 strokes, either morning or evening. It does feel good and I will say it has changed my hair. It seems shinier and healthier. If you need a good hairbrush and have $200 to spend, I don’t think you’d be disappointed in a La Bonne Brosse, or a brush from the Crown Affair for that matter, but the point is to actually take the time to brush your hair and get those 100 strokes in, or at least 25.

3. Brown Butter Tomato Salad

I wrote about this a couple of years ago but it’s definitely time to return it to front of mind. I make a caprese-style tomato salad almost every night when vine-ripe tomatoes are in season (tomatoes/burrata/balsamic vinegar/olive oil/salt and pepper/basil) but this salad is a nice change up. My niece, Maddie, is a private chef in NYC (@madelinethekitchen) and she introduced me to a tomato salad dressed simply with browned butter, salt, and basil. I was dubious, but it is sublime, especially with good bread to sop up the butter and juices. You do need excellent vine-ripe tomatoes to pull this off, but if you have those, slice them onto a platter and salt lightly (go easy if you’re using salted butter). Brown about 2 tablespoons butter (salted or unsalted) until nutty and light amber color, then pour over sliced tomatoes. Garnish with fresh basil. Serve immediately as the butter will harden as it cools. Simplicity and decadence. Please comment and tell me what you think.

4. Watch “Widow’s Bay”

Matthew Rhys plays Tom Loftis, the mayor of an island off the coast of New England, kind of like a wannabe Nantucket, that may or may not be cursed. Mayor Loftis is trying to downplay the rumored curse and boost tourism to the island. The townspeople are “eccentric,” shall we say, and the show is billed a comedy horror, a genre I normally avoid like the plague, except that my kids encouraged me to watch. I’m glad I did. Rhys is sooo good, and I did laugh, a lot. There are a couple of jump scares (in episode 2, you may want to hide your eyes when Rhys is in the basement of the hotel, or at least peek through your fingers), but I am a total wimp and I really liked the show for its comedic element.

I hope you enjoyed reading along, and if you did, please take a second to hit the ❤️button. It helps spread the word and grow my audience. You can also leave me a comment or ask a question. I will happily respond. Happy cooking and have a great week.

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Thanks for taking the time to read this missive. If you liked it, share it. If you want to follow me on @chouquettekitchen I’d love it, and please like this post if you did. Any products mentioned are chosen by me and some may be affiliate links. I’m glad you’re here and appreciate your support.

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I was rummaging through the refrigerator the other day and found some Swiss chard that I had forgotten about. It was looking a little tired but still salvageable. A gratin is always the right answer in these situations. This one is full of veggie goodness, but also decadently cheesy. It’s spiced up with red pepper flakes and breadcrumbs for crunch and yum. It’s also a simplified version of my typical gratin, where I would make a béchamel sauce. For this, I just used heavy cream to sauce it up. Any greens will do; if you have kale or spinach or even turnip greens, you can use them here. If you do use Swiss chard, the stems are very tender and sweet, so be sure to use them in your gratin and don’t discard like you would with tough kale stems. Hope you like it! Serves 3-4.

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This is the simple meal we had the other night. It’s something my French husband absolutely loves and is quite nostalgic about. The toast strips or “soldiers” (mouillettes) are a necessity and get pl…

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Hello everyone,

I am so glad you’re joining me on The Four this Wednesday. It’s been a quiet week of dog watching here while one of our daughters is in Portland for a few days. Nothing like four dogs around the house to keep you on your toes. In reality, they’re very easy to love and well-behaved, so it wasn’t hard. I’m sharing two great recipes with you this week, one sweet and one savory, a comfortable but stylish (for me) pair of pants, and a book recommendation.

1. Banana Snack Cake with Chocolate Frosting

This is nothing but a feel-good cake. First it makes me happy because those ugly, overripe bananas in the fruit bowl are not going to waste. Second, it’s the ultimate snack cake, ready in under an hour with no need for a mixer or even a second bowl. Third, I’ve included a delectable chocolate frosting which really puts it over the top. You can elect to omit the frosting, because the cake is plenty good on its own, but of course I didn’t. A dusting of confectioners’ sugar would be almost as nice.

Equipment Needed:

9x9” cake pan

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Sometimes it’s all about the mushrooms, or maybe you have some you need to use up. I used shiitakes here, but any mushroom will do. And there are some greens added in for more veg. Again, use what you have but kale may need a little longer to wilt. This pasta dish is creamy, comforting, and filling. The miso gives it an umami punch but doesn’t overpower the dish. It’s the perfect accompaniment to a Widow’s Bay binge watch. I ate it so fast I didn’t get a good photo of the finished dish. If you are on Instagram, there’s a reel posted today and I’ll also post a note on Substack of the video. This one is too good to miss. Serves 2.

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Impress your circle by making this lovely tart that tastes as good as it looks. I made this for the first time years ago for my bunco group. Bunco, remember that no-skill, all-luck dice game? At that time in my life when the kids were young, it was an excuse to get out of the house, drink some wine, and socialize with other moms. I have fond memories of those bunco nights. In fact, maybe it’s time for a revival, although that would cut into my Mah Jong time. It’s easy to chat and play bunco because not much strategy or thought is required. Anyway, on bunco nights, we would each bring a dish to share and this was one of my most successful. There are three components, but they are relatively easy. The chocolate tart dough is press-in so no pesky rolling out and the glaze is a simple ganache, just heat the cream and pour over the chocolate.

The caramel is the most technical element so stay close to the stove while sugar is cooking and use a light (stainless steel) pan so you can see the color change.

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Hi everyone,

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Four. I’m glad you’re here. We have been having extremely hot weather this past week so the AC is on, at least during the day. We get a little respite at night, but it’s not cool enough for my liking, yet. I don’t want to complain because when we’re in the midst of El Niño rain this fall, I’ll wish for heat. Let’s enjoy these last few weeks of summer. I have a delish chicken recipe for you that you can have on the table in well under an hour, and you’ll get lots of compliments and maybe a proposal. I also made one of my favorite muffins yesterday and I’ll share the decadent recipe with you at #3. Never someone who wants to feel left out, I’ve jumped on the retinol body lotion train, thoughts at #2. Finally, I’ve gotten many questions about my weight loss, so I’ll address some of those here at #4. Read on.

1. Marry Me Chicken with Cheesy Polenta

It’s hard not to like this creamy, flavorful chicken dish. Apparently, it’s so good, your partner will propose to you if you make it for him/her. At our house, we have the happy situation of both our girls engaged to be married; one wedding in September of this year and the other September 2027. I’m not sure this chicken dish had anything to do with it, but thought it was a funny coincidence.

I like to use boneless skinless thighs, but you can certainly use bone-in, skin-on thighs. If you’re using bone-in, be sure to increase your cooking time. Additionally, skin-on chicken will produce more fat so be sure to pour some off before beginning to sauté the garlic and other aromatics. Cheesy Polenta is delicious with this, or you can serve it over rice or pasta. Serves 4-6.

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Hello everyone!

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Four. It’s kind of a birthday edition because mine was on Sunday, and I celebrated surrounded by family. They went all out and really made it special for me. Above is a photo of the menu! Are you kidding me?! Everyone made a dish so I wouldn’t have to, the ultimate expression of love for a cook. For dessert, I decided I wanted a yellow cake with chocolate icing, a throwback to a favorite I used to always request. I wanted to make the absolute best yellow cake, so I tested some recipes myself and made the layers. I began by looking over a test done by @thepancakeprincess. If you don’t follow her, she does exhaustive testing of recipes on a theme and is much more thorough than I could ever be. Based on her research, I decided to make a recipe from @sallysbakeblog but put my own spin on it. My recipe is at #1 with all my alternations noted. What’s a birthday cake without frosting? I’m firmly a team frosting girl, and wouldn’t think of eating a birthday cake without copious amounts. The recipe we used is at #4 and it’s delicious. I had to whip up some banana bread recently because guests were coming and the bananas were over-ripening. Serendipitous because it is delicious and the recipe is at #3. Read on.

1. Yellow Birthday Cake

When I was a kid, this is the cake I always asked my mom to bake. Not this recipe specifically, but a yellow cake with chocolate icing. One memorable birthday, she made it into a treasure chest with candy jewels pouring out of it. It was magic. This is a delicious yellow cake with a delectable light crumb, but is sturdy enough to hold up to frosting and decorating. Using Sally’s recipe as a model, I changed the flour and used 00 flour plus some cornstarch, but you can substitute cake flour. I changed the ratio of baking powder to soda just a bit, used 3 eggs (separated) instead of 4 yolks and 2 whites (that’s just a bridge too far for me), and even though counseled not to, I made my own buttermilk with apple cider vinegar and milk. I did let it sit at room temperature for a few hours to really thicken up. Separating the eggs is a little fiddly, but I do think it adds to the airiness of the crumb, so I recommend it. This recipe will make two 8-inch cake rounds.

Equipment Needed:

• Two 8” cake pans

• Parchment paper rounds

Recipe:

• 2¼ c (270g) 00 flour (or cake flour)

• 3 T (24g) cornstarch

• 2¼ t baking powder

• ½ t baking soda

• ½ t kosher salt

• 1 c (227g) unsalted butter at room temperature

• 1¾ c (350g) granulated sugar

• 3 eggs, room temperature, separated

• 2 t vanilla bean paste or extract

• 1 c (240ml) buttermilk (see Note)

• ⅛ t cream of tartar

Butter two 8” cake pans then line with parchment circles, then butter the parchment.

Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Cream butter and sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until fluffy and light. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add in vanilla and mix briefly to combine.

Add ⅓ of the dry ingredients to the batter, alternating with ½ the buttermilk, then another ⅓ of the dry ingredients, with the remainder of the buttermilk, then finally the rest of the dry ingredients. Mix until just incorporated.

Whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar on high speed until soft peaks form. Use a spatula to gently fold the egg whites into the batter. Don’t overmix. Divide batter into pans and bake for about 27 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Let cool for 15 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

Note: I generally don’t have buttermilk on hand so I add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to a scant cup of milk and let it sit on the counter for a few hours to thicken.

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2. Arabia Cow Pitcher

Does anyone else have one of these mid-century modern cow pitchers? It was always on the dinner table when I was growing up, filled with milk. I bought one many years ago because I liked it and was feeling nostalgic I guess. In researching, I found that it’s a vintage piece from the Finnish Arabia company, the pitcher designed around 1955 by Kaj Franck and the illustration is by Anja Juurikkala. I see they’re sometimes called “Bull” pitchers, but you can clearly see it’s a cow with an udder and four teats. If you’re interested, there are some on eBay and Etsy from about $50-90 depending on the condition. Happy treasure-hunting!

3. Banana Bread

I know this is banana bread but I love to add a cup of grated zucchini for the moistness it imparts, not to mention the added veg. That’s completely optional though, the recipe works just fine without it.

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Hi everyone,

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Four. We just got back from a week in Virginia Beach, helping out my parents, visiting with my brother and his family, and one of my sisters. We recreated the above photo (but I’m not allowed to share) which depicts our three kids and my brother’s three girls lined up by age, oldest to youngest. We’ve been meeting up in Virginia Beach for about 20 years now. Only my parents live there, it’s never been home to any of us, but reuniting at the Beach every summer gives the kids a chance to see their grandparents and hang out together. They used to squabble over sand toys and boogie boards; now they play Spike Ball and beer pong. This year was different in other ways. My parents’ declining health means they couldn’t join us for big, raucous family meals as in years past. We couldn’t use their home as a base for crabbing expeditions and our annual crab feast, or break out Dad’s ancient ice cream churn to make peach ice cream. All 10 kids (+4 boyfriends/fiancés) visited my parents several times, and it was gratifying to see the joy on my parents’ faces as they engaged with the younger generation and forgot their troubles for a little while.

Now back home, I’ve been baking non-stop, so I’m sharing some sweet recipes with you today. And we’re in the middle of a SoCal heatwave, so running the oven is not the best idea. I will divulge a secret: I used the same cream cheese dough from #3 for both these recipes. I just doubled it and froze any extra dough for a future project. I usually make the sour cream dough for tarte tatin and often for galettes, but decided to try the cream cheese dough instead. Both dough recipes are great and relatively easy to work with. Your choice.

1. Mini Nectarine Galettes with Thyme

I just love an individual dessert. Somehow it just feels more special. If you agree, make these little nectarine galettes (or crostatas if you’re Italian-leaning). If you don’t, make one large galette. Either way, it will be delicious. I tossed my fruit with a little fresh thyme, but you don’t have to. I just adore the flavor it imparts. You can use peaches or nectarines. Makes about 4 mini galettes.

Equipment Needed:

• Sheet pan

• Parchment paper

• Rolling Pin

Sour Cream Dough:

• 2 c (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour

• 1 T sugar (optional)

• ½ t kosher salt

• ¾ c (168g) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

• ½ c (115g) sour cream

Fruit:

• 3-4 ripe nectarines

• Juice of half a lemon

• 2 sprigs thyme, leaves stripped off

• 3 T brown sugar

• 1 egg beaten with a little water for egg wash

• Sparkling or demerara sugar

To make the dough, place flour, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir with a whisk to blend. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture. You can also use a food processor, but be careful not to over process. When the butter is the size of peas and the mixture looks crumbly and sandy, stir in the sour cream. Transfer to a floured work surface and knead gently a few times to bring dough together and form a log. Roll into an 8”x10” rectangle. Dust with flour and fold dough in three as with a letter. Turn dough over, turn it 90 degrees and roll again into an 8”x10” rectangle. Fold in three again. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using.

Slice nectarines into a bowl and toss with lemon juice, thyme leaves, and sugar. I didn’t peel my nectarines since they were organic and I like the color contrast.

Flour a work surface and roll dough to about ⅛” thick. Cut out circles 6-7” in diameter (I used a cereal bowl as a guide). You can re-roll the scraps. Place dough circles on a sheet pan lined with parchment. You can either mound the fruit free-form style or arrange the nectarine slices in a circle or in rows. Brush the 2” borders with a little water. Fold the borders up and over the edges of the fruit mounds. Pinch decoratively to make a pleat. Continue all the way around the circles. Chill galettes in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes while preheating the oven to 400 degrees.

Remove galettes from the refrigerator, brush dough with beaten egg and sprinkle liberally with demerara sugar. Bake in the lower half of the oven until the crust is golden and the fruit is bubbling, about 25 minutes. The undersides of the galettes should also be browned. Transfer to a rack to cool for 15 minutes. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature, accompanied by vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

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2. Easy Sundress

This dress, looks expensive, but it’s not. Especially if you got it on sale like I did. Made of 100% cotton, it has some nice details, a rope tie belt, and pockets. It also comes in tan. I gravitated towards the tan, but wanted to be the woman who chose the pink. Maybe I’ll just get both.

3. Homemade Blueberry PopTarts

Who doesn’t love a homemade poptart? These are basically underfilled hand pies, but this endeavor is really about the nostalgia of baking something I loved so much as a kid but couldn’t have. Poptarts were never on my mother’s shopping list. I adapted the recipe from Margaux Laskey and NYTCooking but used store-bought blueberry jam; going that route definitely speeds the process. I also used a food processor for the dough and added a little vanilla. Makes about 8 poptarts.

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Welcome to the monthly FREE edition of The Four. To say thank you to all my subscribers, paid and free, who read along every week, I publish a midmonth newsletter with no paywall. Of cour…

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Welcome to The Four. I’ve got a couple of great recipes for you this week. After inundating you with four recipes last week, we’re back to regularly scheduled programming. I’ve been finding some really excellent strawberries these days, the kind that are red all the way through, so really ripe and flavorful. These beauties were just begging to be used in strawberry shortcake, so I obliged. I also found some fabulous apricots from Frog Hollow Farm here in California. After gorging myself on about a pound, I used the rest in a delicious version of gazpacho that I saw in France when I was there. It makes a show-stopping light lunch or dinner with a side salad. I hope you try it. If you don’t have apricots, use peaches or nectarines. I just read Ann Pachett’s new book and loved it. I’ll tell you why. And I baked some pies last week and definitely did not suffer a soggy bottom on any of them. There’s a reason for that. Read on. I’m glad you’re here.

1. Strawberry Shortcake

Put your butter in the freezer right now! Grating frozen butter is a great way to ensure flakey biscuits. This is the absolute best summer dessert, buttery shortbread and sweet strawberries. Whipped cream is the icing on the biscuit.

Equipment Needed:

• Sheet pan

• Parchment paper

• Box grater

Berries:

• 2 pints strawberries

• ¼ c granulated sugar, or more to taste

Shortcake Biscuits:

• 3 c (360g) all-purpose flour

• ¼ c (50g) granulated sugar

• ¼ t kosher salt

• 5 t baking powder

• ½ t baking soda

• 1 c (227g) unsalted butter, frozen or very cold

• 1 c (240ml) buttermilk or heavy cream

• 1 T melted butter, or heavy cream

• Sparkling sugar

Whipped Cream:

• 1 c heavy whipping cream

• ½ t vanilla bean paste or extract

• 1 T confectioners’ sugar

Wash and hull strawberries. Slice thickly and crush ⅓ of the berries with a fork to release juices. Mix with remaining berries and ¼ cup sugar, adding more sugar if needed. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment.

Mix flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl. Using the large holes of a box grater, grate frozen butter into the flour mixture. Toss to coat with flour and quickly with your hands or a pastry blender to form a sandy textured mix. Add the buttermilk and fold with a spatula to form a soft dough. Don’t over mix; dough will be shaggy. Pour dough out onto a floured work surface and use your hands to gather it together, then pat and flatten it into a 1-inch thick rectangle. Imagine the dough rectangle divided into thirds. Fold one third into the center line, then the other to create a smaller 2-inch thick rectangle. Turn the rectangle to the right one quarter turn, flatten again into a 1-inch thick rectangle. Repeat folding, the turn, flatten, and fold one more time. Flatten into a 3/4-inch thick rectangle. Cut dough into 3”x3” squares or cut rounds using a 3” biscuit cutter. Bring together scraps, flatten, and cut more squares or circles. You should end up with 8-10.

Place biscuits on the sheet pan. Brush tops with melted butter and sprinkle with sparkling sugar. Bake for 15-18 minutes until golden. Remove the pan from the oven.

Whip the heavy cream in an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla and whip until smooth peaks form.

To serve, separate each shortcake into two pieces. Top the bottom half with a generous spoonful of berries and juice, a dollop of whipped cream, and cover with the top half. Garnish top with berries and more whipped cream. Enjoy!

2. Metal Pie Pans

I have a newfound appreciation for metal pie pans. If a soggy bottom is the worst thing that can happen to your pie, a metal pan will go a long way to avoiding that outcome. Some vintage pans were even made with holes to allow moisture to evaporate through the bottom of the pan. I like to use a metal pie pan for thick, fruity pies such as cherry to ensure the crust is evenly browned on the bottom. Definitely retro, but with a purpose. I’m also considering buying this cast iron pie pan from Lodge. Cast iron is so good at heating efficiently and evenly, I think it would ensure a consistently browned crust and a beautiful pie. And the price is right.

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3. Apricot Gazpacho

You may think this is unusual, but it’s unusually delicious. Try it!

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Hi everyone,

Happy (almost) 4th of July and welcome to this week’s edition of The Four. I can not believe July is already here. As happens every year now, April, May, and June, arguably my favorite months, fly by before I feel I’ve really had a chance to fully appreciate them. Now we’re into the dog days of summer, but I vow to enjoy every minute.

It’s all recipes this week on The Four. I’m making my mom’s potato salad for the 4th. It’s German-style potato salad redolent of parsley and vinegar and onions, just the best thing ever. The recipe’s below. I’m also making a giant shortbread-like confection that tastes like a brown sugar cinnamon Pop Tart, only much more buttery and delicious. I’ve been on my own this week and subsisting largely on Brothy Beans; I’m sharing the super-easy how-to below. Beans provide protein and necessary fiber, which helps when you’ve been traveling through multiple time zones. I try to eat fish once a week so my One-Pan Salmon with Roasted Summer Vegetables made an appearance. It’s so easy and yummy.

As we celebrate our nation’s 250th birthday, I’ll admit to a certain ambivalence, as the president presides over his poorly attended 16-day fair in Washington, including UFC fights and campaign-style rallies on the National Mall. I’m reminiscing about the bicentennial celebrations in 1976. As an 8th grader, the mood was decidedly different, and I remember feeling so proud to be an American. Not so today. As our freedoms continue to be eroded and the president and his cronies grab for more power, corruption is rampant and there are few checks on the executive branch. Add to that Trump’s persistence in rigging the mid-terms in his favor since he can’t win on his record, and real anxiety sets in. It’s not Trump Derangement Syndrome, it’s a legitimate fear of authoritarianism and constitutional overreach, coupled with despair at a loss of civil liberties. So on the 4th of July, I plan to eat food, watch Wimbledon, drink a Campari spritz, or two, and try to forget about this administration for a while. Join me.

1. Brothy Beans

My husband is still in France which means the house has been quiet and I don’t need to cook very much. I’m trying to get back on track after traveling, eating healthily while prioritizing protein. Do I sound earnest? It’s a lie; I’ve been eating Texas sheet cake all week. But I did make a pot of brothy beans to provide a tasty, nutritious protein source when I’m not in the mood to cook. I adore Rancho Gordo, so if you don’t know this company, check them out. I used their cranberry beans here but I’m not picky about the variety. You can use any bean you like. They’ll keep for 3-4 days in the fridge and when warmed up, provide a quick nutritious meal or snack. The added bonus, besides the protein, is the fiber beans provide.

Equipment Needed (one of these options):

• Staub 7-qt Dutch oven

• Lodge 7.5-qt Dutch oven

• 1 lb dried beans

• ½ a yellow onion, peeled

• 1 carrot, scrubbed and chopped

• 1 branch celery, chopped

• Pinch red pepper flakes

• 3 sprigs fresh thyme

• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary

• 2 bay leaves

• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

• 1 Parmesan rind (optional)

• ¼ c olive oil

• Kosher salt

I always soak beans overnight. I think it helps their digestibility. If you don’t have the time, pour boiling water over your beans and soak them for the time it takes to assemble your other ingredients, or as long as you can.

When ready to cook, drain beans and place in a large Dutch oven. Add all ingredients except the salt. Add 7 cups of water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover the pot and cook beans until they are tender, usually about 1½ hours, depending on the size of the bean and how long they soaked. Check on the beans’ consistency occasionally and add more water if needed. After about an hour, add 1 tablespoon of salt and a few grindings of black pepper and stir in. Continue to simmer until the beans are done. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if you wish.

Before serving, remove the onion half, thyme and rosemary sprigs, bay leaves, and Parmesan rind. Enjoy!

2. One-Pan Salmon with Roasted Summer Vegetables

This one-pan dinner can be easily doubled or quadrupled if needed. I’ve also used cod and halibut and cooked the same way. If you have dill and like it, you could substitute for the thyme. Serves 2.

• 1 T olive oil

• 1 leek, chopped

• 1 zucchini, chopped

• 5 oz cherry tomatoes, halved

• 2 sprigs fresh thyme

• Pinch red pepper flakes

• Salt and pepper

• 1 T balsamic vinegar

• 1 8 oz salmon filet

• Chopped parsley, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in a medium oven-safe skillet. Add leeks, zucchini, tomatoes, thyme, red pepper flakes, and salt. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer skillet to the oven and roast 10 minutes, until tomatoes have softened.

Rinse salmon filet, pat dry, and season with salt and pepper. Remove skillet from the oven. Stir balsamic vinegar into tomato mixture, then nestle salmon into the mixture. Return skillet to the oven and roast for 10 minutes, or until salmon registers 120 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, or is cooked to your liking.

Remove skillet from the oven and spoon some of the vegetable mixture over the fish. Garnish with parsley.

3. Mom’s German Potato Salad

This salad has been in my family forever and brings back great memories every time I eat it. It’s my mother’s recipe, adapted from her Swiss mother’s recipe, and now we all make it and love it. It’s vegetarian and vegan and contains no mayonnaise. I like to make it the day before so it has time to macerate. This serves 3-4 but can easily be doubled. There’s no other potato salad I’d rather have on the 4th of July.

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