Franco-American

With the Paris Olympics on the horizon, July's the month to conjure France on our plates. But first: happy Fourth!

Happy July, joyous cook!

I hate to suggest you turn on your oven when it’s so hot (at least where I live), but if there were ever a month to make this plum and blackberry tart, this would be it.

The tart is kind of French; at least I conceived it in France a couple years ago. It’s a tart, not a pie, so that feels French. But it’s also kind of American: Buckwheat in the crust makes it American-earthy. Either way, it’s foolproof, super-easy to make and pretty spectacular.

In short, it would be just the thing to make for the Fourth of July. Or 10 days later, on Bastille Day. Or anytime after that, into September — when wild blackberries show up on bushes in both France and America, and when plums are still in season.

Backing up for a minute, it would also be fabulous to bake and enjoy this tart during the summer Olympics, which begin in Paris on Jul…