These date squares are sweet, chewy, crumbly, messy, and a little bit tangy thanks to the yummy, lemon-spiked medjool date purée sandwiched between a buttery crumble crust. Lemon juice takes the edge off the potentially sickening sweetness of the dates, and butter is… well, butter — enough said.  But honestly, you could eat a medjool date sandwiched between two pieces of cardboard and it would still kick an ordinary date square’s butt.

The center aisles and frozen foods sections of the typical grocery store are testament to the sad and unhealthy alienation of North Americans from the food we eat and the kitchens in which we used to actually cook it. I could go on for days about the shocking “convenience” foods I’ve witnessed whilst strolling through the supermarket: pre-packaged hard-boiled eggs, sliced and cored apples suffocated individually in sheaths of plastic, and vacuum-packed, pre-formed, uncooked meatballs, to name a few. But nestled near the top of the list of these culinary travesties lie box upon box of pancake mix, for these breakfast staples are ridiculously easy to make — even on a weekday.

The perfect plum is a rare find. Typically, the ones piled up in plastic baskets at the  grocery store are pretty to look at, but are seldom prime for the eating, with an overly tart flavor and a tough, sapless texture. Local, fresh, perfectly ripe plums deserve a special nod to their deliciousness.

In the brief window of time between dropping my eldest daughter off at preschool, getting the twins down for their morning naps, preparing lunch and then picking the preschooler up again from her half-day of away-play, the heap of bright red and green shiny apples was staring me down, challenging me to quickly convert their toothsomely tart selves into a warm, fragrant, scrumptious snack. I met their dare, of course, with muffins. Okay, so I’m anthropomorphizing hanging fruit — maybe I need to get out more — but what ev’.

Looking for a dessert that’s refreshing, delicious and will knock the socks off of your dinner guests? This special confection ticks all the boxes, thanks to a dazzlingly impressive appearance, sweet pastry crust (pâte sucrée) evocative of a sugar cookie, a hidden chocolate lining, a velvety rich pastry cream filling (crème pâtissière), and — last but certainly not least — a beautifully arranged crown of fresh fruits and berries.