Red, white and blue tartlet. Photo: Nicisme, Flickr

So it's nearly Independence Day weekend, and we're celebrating, too, by stepping away from the computer, throwing some shrimp on the barbie (or, OK, maybe burgers) and trying to find some local fruit as gorgeous as these snapped by Nicisme on Flickr. We'll be back in full posting mode on Monday.

Meantime, if you're anywhere near a farmers market that has any sort of berries right now, you'd be remiss to skip out on grabbing a few gorgeous berries like those shown above. Blueberries are snappy and sweet, strawberries seductively red and stone-fruit season is just around the corner. We're grateful for the holiday -- and for proximity to nature-made sweet treats like these.

If you are looking for some Red, White, and Blue dessert ideas for the Fourth of July this year and haven't come up with anything yet, you may want to check out Better Homes and Gardens. They have a slideshow of 15 different choices for you to choose from including meringues (shown), parfaits, shortcakes, tarts, custards and even berry nachos. Granted, most of them include blueberries, strawberries and other assorted fruit, but that is not too surprising considering the season and the requisite colors of the holiday.

If you have created a red, white, and (or) blue dessert that you'd like to share, feel free to send us the link and we will spotlight them over the coming week.

Today is Bastille Day, the French holiday that celebrates the storming of the Bastille in 1789 and the start of the modern nation of France. Since the French colors are red, white and blue, what better way to celebrate than with a red, white and blue dessert? This beautiful vanilla and berry cake was made by Fanny from Food Beam and, while she made it in honor of France making it to the World Cup finals, it is perfect appropriate for this occasion. Come to think of it, it's perfect for any occasion when fresh berries are available. The cake is a simple vanilla butter cake, topped with a "frosting" made of ricotta cheese, fromage blanc/yogurt, sugar and more vanilla, which is then studded with perfectly ripe berries. It looks too beautiful to eat, and yet I can't help but crave a slice from looking at this picture and the others that accompany the recipe.

After I made my Jello pie, I wanted to do more Jello desserts - by which I mean that I had an extra package of Jello left over. I decided that I would try my hand at making a layered dessert because some of them just look too interesting to pass up and I've never actually attempted one before.

As it turns out, they're very easy to make. Gelatin doesn't set up at room temperature, so the layers-to-be can sit out while you wait for things to set up. The initial time involved is about 2 minutes, after which you can do household things (or blog) while you wait to pour on the next layer. 

One of the reasons that Jello is on the list of the best desserts for the 4th of July is not only that it is very popular, perhaps simply due to tradition, but that it is pretty. It comes in bright, clear reds and blues and, for a holiday that is color-heavy, the lure of their look is hard to resist. I should know. I was lured by the look of the Patriotic Jello Pie, despite the fact that I haven't eaten blue jello or Cool Whip in years.

The jello website has a video tutorial for making the pie, so I watched it, went to the store to pick up the necessary ingredients, and set to work on the pie.

Don't spend all your time thinking about what you're going to barbecue for the 4th of July – what about dessert? After all, you're going to want more than just a beer to wash down all those hot dogs and potato chips when you are out with friends and family, waiting for the fireworks display to begin.

Anything with Jello – as one of the few foods that actually comes in the color blue, Jello is the perfect choice for making red, white and blue desserts, not to mention that it's always a kid favorite. Try a patriotic Jello pie, red white and blue terrine or an All-american trifle.

Shortcake – there is something classic about shortcake after a barbecue. You can use almost any fruit, but opt for strawberries, blueberries or raspberries on the 4th. For the cake, make a traditional biscuit base or just use a slice of pound cake. Try this recipe or this one.

Chocolate chip cookies – maybe the expression should have been "as American as chocolate chip cookies," because not only were these invented in the US, but they're a favorite with everyone. And you can't go wrong with the famous Tollhouse recipe, which started it all.