Hi Reader,

Growing up, summer gatherings stretched for hours.
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The grill smoked away outside while relatives drifted between kitchen and patio carrying bowls, bottles, folding chairs, and unsolicited opinions about timing. Music played too loudly. Ice melted too quickly. Somebody always claimed they were “too full” right before dessert appeared carrying whipped cream and emotional consequences.
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And somehow, despite all the noise and chaos, nobody seemed in a hurry.
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That rhythm still shapes how I plan July holiday menus now—not stiff or performative, but loose enough that people settle in and stay awhile. Because the best Fourth of July and Canada Day meals aren’t really about culinary greatness. They’re about atmosphere. About making enough food that nobody worries. About building the kind of table people orbit all afternoon.
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Also: strategically planning so you’re not sweating over a grill while everyone else is already on their second drink discussing whether fireworks have gotten less impressive or if we’ve simply aged.
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I’ve become evangelical about menu balance. Something grilled. Something cold. Something crunchy. Something unapologetically nostalgic involving mayonnaise. Dessert that can survive heat and distracted adults.
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And plenty of things that can sit around happily while people wander back for “just one more bite.”
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Because holiday food should feel celebratory, yes—but also forgiving. Easy enough that you still get to enjoy the party instead of starring in a one-man kitchen tragedy called The Burgers Are Burning and Nobody Told Me.

My July Holiday Survival Guide

• Build the menu around one anchor. Burgers, ribs, grilled chicken, seafood, sausages—pick the main attraction and let everything else support it.
• Choose sides that improve with time. Potato salad, slaw, marinated vegetables, pasta salad. The best July sides know how to linger gracefully.
• Prep before people arrive. Future-you deserves the pleasure of holding a cold drink while everyone else asks, “Need help?” fifteen minutes too late.
• Don’t make every dish hot. Summer meals need temperature contrast. Also, your kitchen deserves mercy.
• Dessert should feel nostalgic. Pie, berries, ice cream, cobbler, something involving whipped cream. July is not the moment for tiny architectural desserts arranged with tweezers like a crime scene.

WHAT'S INSIDE...

• ​Best Burger​
• ​St. Louis Style Ribs​
• ​Coca Cola Brisket​
• ​How To Cook The Perfect Hot Dog​
• ​French Potato Salad​
• ​Zucchini Slaw Two Ways​
• ​Southern Buttermilk Biscuits​
• ​David Leite's Blueberry Lemon Layer Cake​
• ​Strawberry Rhubarb Pie With Ginger Crumb Topping​
• ​Sweet Tea Cocktail​

​Best Burger​

This best burger got its name for very good reasons. It's made with a mix of short ribs, brisket, and chuck for an incredibly juicy burger experience that's rich and lovely enough to serve naked. Although, you can dress it with your favorite condiments if you must.

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​St. Louis Style Ribs​

St. Louis style ribs start with a sweet and spicy dry rub. Then we double down with tangy, sweet barbecue sauce made with red-wine vinegar and blackstrap molasses. Guaranteed to wobble knees.

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​Coca Cola Brisket​

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.81 from 82 votes

This knee-wobbling tender Coca cola brisket is as easy as tossing brisket and Coca cola, onion soup mix, and chili sauce into the oven or slow cooker and walking away.

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​How To Cook The Perfect Hot Dog​

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.75 from 24 votes

The best hot dog means knowing the perfect way to cook a hot dog, whether you roast, grill, simmer, microwave, or turn it over an open campfire. Here's everything you need to know.

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​French Potato Salad​

This French potato salad with green beans skips the mayo but retains a creamy texture thanks to a tangy Dijon vinaigrette and soft-boiled eggs whose runny yolks spill into the salad to form an unparalleled richness.

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​Zucchini Slaw Two Ways​

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.8 from 10 votes

This zucchini slaw--made with thinly sliced zucchini, summer squash, bell pepper, and scallions--can turn out two ways: one with mayo, another with vinaigrette. You'll never give zucchini away again.

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​Southern Buttermilk Biscuits​

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.86 from 34 votes

These Southern buttermilk biscuits are easy as heck to toss together from just three ingredients—self-rising flour, buttermilk, and butter—and turn out flaky and fluffy and just like grandma's. Maybe even better. Here's how to make them.

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​David Leite's Blueberry Lemon Layer Cake​

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.71 from 17 votes

This blueberry lemon layer cake, made with triple layers of yellow cake with fresh blueberries, speckled with scads of lemon zest, and enveloped in the perfect lemon cream cheese frosting, is impressive in every way. This cake is a terriffic summer dessert, but it also makes one heck of a birthday and celebration cake also.

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​Strawberry Rhubarb Pie With Ginger Crumb Topping​

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 from 20 votes

Use the best, freshest ingredients available to add extra flavor to this twist on the classic strawberry-rhubarb pie.

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​Sweet Tea Cocktail​

In the South, you can’t have a garden party—or any summer get-together, for that matter—without sweet tea. This is a sweet-tea-based cocktail with a kick of white whiskey.

​☞ ​Try this recipe​