Like Gael over at Pop Culture Junk Mail, I didn't even realize that Hostess got rid of the magician guy who was on the front of their pies since the early 70s. I don't usually buy snack pies anymore, though I do love them (both Hostess and Drake's).

I know that products and companies and logos have to change over the years, but I always feel a little sad when a classic character or design is changed. Really, did the change improve sales? You would think that keeping a classic character would endear a company to loyal customers even more.

Now if someone could answer this question. What exactly was the magician? Was he human? The body shape suggests a banana, or some sort of legless apple slice. Or maybe the Penguin from Batman.

• Some great recipes using ripe produce from farmstands, including Basil Lemonade, Stewed Corn and Tomatoes with Okra, and Summer Pudding with Blueberries and Raspberries.
• Summer means cold foods you hold in your hand, such as Raspberry Chocolate Ice Pops and Coconut Macaroon and Lemon-Ice Cream Sandwiches.
• A conversation with author Sheila Lukins.
• A quick guide to eating in Italy.
• Editor Tanya Wenman Steel has a blog (but I don't see Slashfood listed in her "Blogs We Like." Come on!)
• More recipes for July: Smoked Bluefish Pate, Cherry Pie, Penne with Pea Pesto, and Thousand Island Slaw with Chicken.

• Wimbledon starts tomorrow, so how about some summer drinks from England?
• Is there such thing as humanely raised veal?
• There are several organic beer breweries in New England.
• There's lots of kielbasa too.
• Who makes the best cottage cheese? Hood? Cabot? Friendly? Breakstone? Horizon?
• What the heck is a pie mistress?
• Globe readers give their choices for good wines under $10.
• This week's recipes: Tofu Sandwich, Lattice-Topped Cherry Pie, and Strawberry-Cardamom Cheese Cake.

I devoured these as a kid*. They were one of the regular junk food items my sister and I would buy at the store down the street to eat while watching The Brady Bunch and The Partridge Family on Friday nights. I saw them at the store the other day and decided to pick up a box.

If you have an excess of summer fruit and cannot think of what to do with it, I have only one word for you: pie. With a crust and some fruit you can do wondrous things and with the help of the recipes in Pie: 300 Tried-and-True Recipes for Delicious Homemade Pie, you should be able to get your technique down quicker than you might expect. The book is nearly exhaustive on making and shaping pie crusts, from materials to methods, and even an experienced pie maker could learn a thing or two just from reading the introduction. It is worth noting that crust instructions are given for working by hand and with the food processor or mixer, so those who don't have "pastry fingers" don't have to worry.

Though I mentioned fruit pies to begin with, don't think that those are all this book covers. It has nut pies, cream pies, custard pies and ice cream pies - in addition to just about every other type of pie you can think of. If you like pie, it's a must-have. And speaking of "having," here are a few of the recipes you'll find inside: Watermelon Chiffon Pie, Cherry Pie (9 kinds!), Blackberry Silk and Chocolate Brownie Pecan.

• The rundown on gazpacho, complete with a history and several recipes.
• Why is Krispy Kreme having such a hard time, especialy in New England? Too much emphasis on one product, expanding too fast, the low carb craze, the challenge from Dunkin Donuts. I also happen to think that it's because Krispy Kreme donuts are overrated.
• What do Tour de France riders eat to keep in shape?
• Ask the Cook: What's the best way to serve a summer salad?
• Speaking of salads: add some dark greens to make the salad shine.
• Summer is the season of stone fruits.
• This week's recipes: Old Fashioned Lattice Cherry Pie, Pinto Bean Spread, Baked Eggs with Shrimp and Capers, and Rustic Summer Berry Croustade.

Fruit pies made our list of the eight best desserts for the 4th of July because there is such a wide variety of fantastic, fresh fruit available right now. But just because it's a good dessert for the 4th doesn't mean you have to wait until then to make one. Cathy, at My Little Kitchen, diligently pitted an entire batch of sour cherries in preparation for making a sour cherry pie. The combination of warm cherry filling, flaky crust and vanilla ice cream is one made in heaven - though in this case it was made in Maryland. Anywhere there is a good pie is close enough.

Unfortunately for us, Cathy didn't share her recipe, but you can always try your hand at Barbara's Sour Cherry Lattice Top Pie, which is sure to produce an outstanding result.