Any time capers mingle with anchovies and garlic, I’m happy. You might think these are very strong flavours, but when they are used sparingly they add a lovely layer of salty/savory flavour to whatever dish they grace.

When I serve this to my family, do I mention that there are anchovies in it? Nope, I don’t. Do they think it’s delicious? Yup, they do.

A while back, in honour of Julia’s Child’s birthday (she would have been 104 this year), I created a dish that embodies one of her many excellent sayings: “The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook.”

There are certain baked goods that elicit a fierce loyalty among fans. They bring out strong feelings about how they should be prepared (often the same way they were prepared in said fans’ childhoods). And someone else’s failure to appreciate them can be met with shock and confusion.

Lemon tarts, or lemon bars as they are also known, are such a baked good.

If you want to end the summer with a bang and be reminded how the best and simplest ingredients produce the most magical results, then this is the dish to make before the leaves change and thoughts turn to stew.