This pie was part of our Fourth of July haul. Instagram taunted me for weeks with all of the food bloggers and bakers getting a head-start, letting the world know what they’d be whipping up for the Fourth of July. It’s easy to get overwhelmed when you’re me and want to bake and cook and grill every single thing that looks yummy. No-campfire s’mores? Sure! An apricot gallete? Sure! Corn and souvlaki on the grill? You bet! If only that whole “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” notion actually worked.

With friends hosting a barbecue and covering the grilling portion of the evening, we settled on some baked goods to supplement. Nick baked another round of pretzels — the real deal, dipped in lye. He gets a better result each time and these were perfectly crisp and golden and salty, just as they should be.

I made a mixed berry pie — strawberry, blueberry, and a bit of nectarine — with a lattice top. My baking feathers puffed with pride that there was only one little lonely slice of pie left when we were leaving the barbecue that night.

It was difficult to keep our hands off of this one.

Next on my list is a traditional peach pie, because summer is already rolling towards fall and it wouldn’t be the season without at least one lovely peach pie — all of those golden wedges slumping into buttery perfection.

Oh, and those no-campfire s’mores? We absolutely made them. See the recipe for inspiration.