There are two kinds of people in this world: those who order the fries for the table, and those who steal them off someone else’s plate. Within that, there's a very special subgroup—the ones who order the fries, don’t Venmo request anyone, and just silently let the group benefit. Bless those people. There’s a special place in heaven for them (probably with a trio of unlimited aiolis and fountain Diet Coke).

Fries are technically a side dish, but let’s be real: they’re doing main character work. Whether they’re saving a sad dinner, showing up as girl dinner (see: Caesar salad, fries, and a Diet Coke), or loaded with toppings and eaten straight from the sheet pan, fries are the one food that almost no one can resist.

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If you’ve ever tried to find Medjool dates in a grocery store, you know it’s not always intuitive. You might check near the bananas, wander toward the baking aisle, or give up and ask someone. Until recently, date packaging rarely did itself any favors: generic plastic clamshells, muted colors, minimal context. The fruit may have been sweet, but it didn’t exactly look like it.

That started to change in 2019, when a line of brightly packaged, California-grown Medjool dates called Joolies started showing up in stores across the country. You’ve probably seen them even if you don’t know the name: turquoise stand-up pouches stamped with a bold yellow sun, sitting up in the produce section. Joolies wasn’t just trying to sell dates—they were trying to rebrand them entirely.

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If there’s one thing I love in this world, it’s an unexpected cocktail—especially heading into the summer months, when Friday happy hours feel more joyous than ever. I’m always on a quest to perfect my espresso martini (more on that soon), but this month, I’m in the mood for something new.

And that leads us to the question that rolls around every June: What’s going to be the drink of the summer? A safe bet (that I’d put actual money on) is the Aperol spritz, still going strong five years later. The limoncello spritz has also gained steam—and honestly, I get the appeal. I recently tried Pallini’s version for their summer spritz activation, and their sunny vibes once again sold me.

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There’s no doubt that America is currently obsessed with matcha. In desserts, savory dishes, and lattes, green tea is finally getting its flowers. However, there are a few recipes that truly stand out from the rest in terms of internet virality. In this case, I have not been able to escape matcha brookies—which are exactly what they sound likematcha blondie dough combined with chocolate chip cookie dough. The original viral video and recipe is made by Ivy Woolenberg, otherwise known as @bakedwithlovebyivy on social media, and we were lucky enough to host her in the Food52 test kitchen to make her signature dessert.

Here’s how we made them:

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The word viral is overused (I’m guilty), but when it comes to the internet-iconic Rhode Island coffee shop The Nitro Bar, there’s no better way to describe the phenomenon. The Nitro Bar has three locations across the tiny state of Rhode Island, and all of them have an ever-growing line out the door at all times. Their TikTok and Instagram rack up crazy impression numbers, which has food businesses everywhere copying their marketing tactics. The genius behind it all: Audrey Finocchiaro, the co-owner and co-founder of the successful shop(s), which started as a humble little cart serving cold brew.

The videos and social media content that perform so well pretty much all showcase a Nitro Bar drink being made, with a specialty coffee syrup or some sort of flavored twist. Right now, their summer syrups include strawberry and caramelized banana (yum), while some off-season favorites include orange chocolate, black raspberry, and cherry vanilla. Customers wait in long lines year-round for anything and everything Nitro Bar— including me. When I lived in Boston a few years ago, I would hop on the commuter rail train to Providence and get their chocolate wafer iced latte and spend a rainy day sipping and snacking with friends. I’ve been a follower of Audrey and the Nitro Bar’s work for a while now, and was so happy to get her into the Food52 office.

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In no particular order, I believe three of the world’s hardest questions to answer are as follows:

1. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
2. What do you want to eat?
3. What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?

Numbers 1 and 2 will always elicit some sort of response in the vein of “I couldn’t have less of an idea.” But number 3? Oh, I have lots of ideas… and even more follow-up questions.

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The Whole Foods Berry Chantilly cake might be the most viral cake on the internet. It's been a hit since its first release in 2002, had a few big shoutout moments online in 2021 where people raved about the dessert, and, more recently, sparked outrage when the supermarket chain changed the original recipe. Supposedly, they replaced the cake’s fresh berries with frozen berries and fruit jam, and Chantilly cake loyalists were not shy about expressing their disappointment. Fast forward to now: Whole Foods released a Berry Chantilly-flavored iced latte, and suddenly cake is once again culturally relevant.

I have to admit something: I’ve never tried it. I haven’t been able to justify buying the entire cake because I don’t love berry flavored desserts (I’m much more of a chocolate kind of gal). However, after my feed became flooded with people trying this new latte, I felt compelled to recreate the flavors of the original cake, but in a smaller and more shareable way. To me, making an entire cake is usually not worth it unless it’s for an event like a birthday party. There’s always too many leftovers. So, I set out to make little shareable cakes with all the same berry Chantilly flavors: a light, yellow sponge cake, a Chantilly frosting, and fresh berries (NOT frozen).

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