Dear Nona: How the heck are they going to hold the big Fourth of July potluck in the basement of the Polish church if you have to do this social distancing?

C oncerned in Colburn Dear Concerned: Some people think this whole virus has been cooked up by the South Side Red Hat Club. The Mad Hatters, as we call them, have been jealous for years that they never get to put their crock pots at the front table. Nobody has been able to get Nona’s famous meatballs moved from that position of prestige for decades.

Now this year, the Mad Hatters showed up at the Lublin Ladies Guild meeting raising all kinds of heck about this virus and claiming that the whole makeup of the Fourth of July Potluck has to change. First of all, we don’t want anyone sick here in Lublin. We haven’t had a case of this thing yet, and the boys at Stosh’s Place claim that it’s because of the Polish Blackberry. They have the whole town downing a shot or two a day. Well, most of the town was anyway, but so far it’s working, and why change that?

So, at the Ladies Guild meeting, the South Side Red Hat Club, which is famous for shaking down businesses on that side of the tracks, proposed that this year, platters are individually served from the kitchen by Ladies Guild members. It was a diabolical scheme to unseat the champion! And get this! They weren’t even wearing masks at the meeting. For some of these ladies, masks would be a big improvement, if you ask me.

All in all, justice prevailed. It’s going to be a socially distanced potluck. The Ladies Aid is going to have their husbands and/or significant others put up the surplus Army tent that’s been in the Lublin Armory and Day Care since the days of the Red Scare. Now, it’s going to be used to fight the Red Hat Scare! There’s plenty of room to spread tables out, and Non’a meatballs will be right in their place of royalty where they belong.

And, because there’s such a distance between tables, someone got the idea that it would be a good idea to have Polish Blackberry stations throughout the tent!

Na zdrowie! And have a great Fourth of July!

Fourth of July Berry Tart Ingredients

Tart Dough: 1/4 cup almond meal 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 9 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 large egg yolk White Chocolate Pastry Cream: 3 tablespoons cornstarch 1/2 cup sugar 4 large egg yolks 1 1/2 cups whole milk 1/2 vanilla bean Pinch salt 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 2 1/2 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries 2 cups fresh raspberries Confectioners' sugar for dusting the top

Directions

To make the tart dough: In a food processor combine the almond meal, flour, confectioners' sugar and salt. Pulse several times to combine. Add the butter and egg yolk, process just until the dough comes together. Distribute the dough into the 13-by-4-inch tart pan (or 10-inch round).

Lay plastic wrap over the dough and press it into the pan so that it is an even thickness. Remove the plastic and freeze the dough until it is firm, about 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cover the dough with foil and fill with pie weights or beans. This will keep the dough from slouching in the pan. Bake for 25 minutes, then remove the foil and beans, bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes or until the crust is a light golden color. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Prepare the pastry cream: Whisk together the cornstarch and 1/4 cup of sugar. Add the egg yolks to the cornstarch and mix into a smooth paste. Set aside.

Bring the milk, remaining 1/4 cup of the sugar, vanilla bean, and salt to a gentle simmer in a medium saucepan. Slowly, and in small amounts, whisk the hot milk into the egg mixture. Once the egg mixture is warm to the touch, pour it back into the milk in the pan.

Bring the custard to a gentle boil, whisking continuously for 2 to 3 minutes. The pastry cream will thicken almost immediately, but it is important to cook the starch until it isn't grainy. When the pastry cream is done it will be smooth and glossy.

Remove from the heat and add the butter and white chocolate to the pastry cream. Allow to sit for 3 minutes, then gently whisk them together. Pour the pastry cream into a shallow container. Cover with plastic wrap, pressed directly on the surface of the cream to prevent a skin from forming. Set the container in the freezer for 15 minutes (this cools down the eggs quickly) and then refrigerate for up to a few days.

Fill the cooled tart shell with the pastry cream. Decorate the top with the berries and refrigerate until ready to serve. Dust with confectioners' sugar right before slicing and serving.