In the kitchen: Pie geometry, and no-churn ice cream

Square, slab and round versions of blueberry pie.

Aug. 23, 2016 9 PM PT

Think pie, and for most of us, this conjures up a picture of some sort of crust with filling. The filling and crust might vary depending on our personal preferences and the season, but there’s always one constant: Pie is round. Well, maybe not always — and maybe, just maybe, it shouldn’t be. Pie maven Evan Kleiman investigates.

Perhaps inspired by the summer heat, we explore some of the cooler pleasures in life. Things such as no-churn ice cream, frozen cocktails and recipe ideas for all the passion fruit now in season.

— Noelle Carter

The geometry of pie

There’s been debate in the pie world recently over what shape makes the best pie (and even what shape constitutes a pie). Beyond the traditional round pie, debate has focused on the merits of square pie, and then there’s been the recent phenomenon of “slab pie.” “Good Food” host and pie expert Evan Kleiman visited our Test Kitchen recently to try out a variety of shapes. She shares her results, and a recipe.

You don’t need an ice cream maker for these sweet recipes

If there’s one dish that signifies summer, it’s probably ice cream. And with so many great ice cream shops open in Los Angeles, it’s not hard to find a perfect scoop. Still, sometimes it’s nice to try a batch of homemade ice cream. For those of us who don’t have an ice cream maker at home (including me), here are some fun recipe options that don’t require one. Stracciatella, peach frozen yogurt or bananas Foster ice cream, anyone?

Peach sangria — on a stick

Keeping with the frozen theme, treat yourself to a decidedly adult treat with this frozen peach sangria recipe. Whip up a batch, freeze it in simple popsicle molds and you have simple refreshment on a stick. It’s just one of our frozen cocktail ideas, any of which would make a fun treat if you’re planning a party.

What to do with all the passion fruit showing up at the markets

Cut open a passion fruit and you’ll understand why it’s the star of so many “tropical” dishes and beverages. The fragrant filling is creamy, studded with small seeds, with a bright, sweet-tart flavor. We give you tips for how to choose ripe passion fruit, as well as some of our favorite recipes.

Try this tip to make perfect rice every time

Are you one of those cooks who just can’t seem to make perfect rice? No matter how closely you follow the recipe or adhere to the ratio of rice and liquid, you either end up with a burnt mess on the bottom of your pan or a batch of soggy starch. Here’s a tip: Try cooking your rice like pasta, in a big pot of water just until the rice is tender. You might never cook rice any other way again.