Happy Fourth

Last week, when my Mom and I were dreaming up red-white-and-blue treats for our Fourth of July celebration, I talked a big game. There would be a flag cake, of course. But not just your garden-variety flag sheet cake. I was imagining cross-sectioned flag cakes, maybe even horizontally slicing a pound cake and re-assembling using red frosting or jam. Maybe I’d bake different sections in different colors and then re-assemble? But would the yellow cake be white enough for a flag cake? Was that unpatriotic? I know! I would bake a white, fluffy angel food cake. And maybe I would use a fresh strawberry sauce to paint stripes on each serving and then top with blueberries? The kids would love that.

But then I saw my friend Matt’s post on this beautiful berry galette and I knew what the plan had to be. No slicing and dicing, no food coloring, no time spent placing blueberries in flag formation when I could be kayaking with the girls or reading my book-club book instead. In fact, it’s so easy, you don’t even need instructions. You just have to look at his pictures to know what to do. (Or, if that’s not your thing, you can just look at my galette recipe from the fall and replace the apples with any combo of red and blue berries you like.) I fully plan on using a storebought crust, cause by now I think it’s obvious that Martha’s pate brisee is not going to happen.

And also, don’t forget the golden rule of cooking for kids in the summer: If you have a bag of marshmallows, you’re all set.

Have a great long weekend!