A Pie That Is but a Dream

I would not consider serving apple pie for the Fourth of July, despite its national symbolism: The calendar is not ready for apples. My pick for the holiday lies on the strawberry dessert spectrum — plump, juicy, fragrantly ripe scarlet berries piled in a tart shell or on shortcake with a cloud of cream. From mid-June through mid-July, Petra Paredez, the baker and an owner of Petee’s Pie Co., makes what she calls “strawberry dream,” a pie glistening with ruby berries atop a chilled mascarpone and lemon curd filling in a butter crust.