July July! Pie Pie!

Thai Iced Tea Jewel Pudding Pie Recipe - TRIP OF A LIFETIME ANNOUNCEMENT!

Happy belated summer solstice! We are finally firmly in summer and the days are H-O-T! It been the most eventful of my life as I welcomed this little man from the stars to make his earthside debut. Hello Wilder Bear Tabibian!

Amid all the newborn snuggles, we’ve still made time for pie. Because the season demands it and well I’m still the same crazy baking person. For paid subscribers today we have Thai Iced Tea Jewel Pudding Pie. I actually brought this pie to the cake event, because I very much feel like it straddles the line between both. So you know it will hit the spot no matter the craving. Tannic, sweet, creamy, it has everything you love about the addictive drink in the format of a classic 1950s jello banger. Sliced up it is a showstopper.

Other than a few moments for crust to set, brewing tea and blooming gelatin, it has no heat which is key in summer. Avoid turning your oven on, it’s the season of no bakes and cold treats. Recipe for Paid Subscribers below.

In other HUGE NEWS, I am leading a trip to Greece OCTOBER 2025 with the incredible people at Modern Adventure. Modern Adventure specializes in once in a lifetime trips to beautiful places for in depth dives into food, culture and adventure. I am so thrilled to be headed back to Greece, where I lived for a year in my previous life working for the United States Department of State. I will be showing people my favorite parts of Athens, Crete and Santorini. Expect luscious dinners and desserts, visits to wineries, lazy days on beaches, touring olive oil farms and sailing the Aegean Sea. Sign up today! Use code WILDE500 for $500 off when you book as a reader of this newsletter.

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Obsessed with: The first episode of season 3 of The Bear. There is an element of Michelin Porn to it, and if you work in the restaurant industry I think it’s fun to catch all the Easter eggs. But even if you don’t it’s a beautifully shot tribute to food, repetition and hard work. The whole episode maybe has 10 lines of dialogue. It felt very soothing for a show that can give you anxiety in communicating its unique world. But more than that it felt like a very daring way to approach a sitcom, I have never seen TV like it.

Reading: Fruitful by Sarah Johnson. Sarahs new cookbook is chock full of fruit recipes to adore, sweet and savory. The photography is relaxed and gorgeous favoring casual settings and the outdoors. The receipts range from salads (my favorite!), hearty mains and desserts (other favorite! shocker!). It is organized by type of fruit, so you can find a recipe based on any craving or time of year. I love all the tips and tricks tucked in throughout the book, including techniques and flavor charts.

Listening to: Obsessed with Chappell Roan. She is without a doubt one of the most talented performers of our time. Every single time she steps on stage it is so fully formed, with stacked references. I can’t get enough of her. If you haven’t listened, become a fan today.

Crushing:  Yerba Mate Cranberry Sparkling drink. I can’t get enough. But really it is a vehicle for the ICE. I am talking about the crushable ice you chew that shatters in your mouth so satisfyingly. You find it only at fast food joints and hospitals. You wish you could stash it in your freezer. WELL did you know that you can buy it in bags from Chick-fil-a? And it costs less than $4 for 2lbs? Is this my all time pregnancy craving revealed? Yes Yes Yes! Just order it along with you 8 piece nuggets and thank me later.

Inspired by: Elisa Sunga NEW Cake Picnic Tour. The cake extravaganza started in San Francisco (170 cakes!), expanded to Los Angles (235 cakes!) and is headed to New York next. If you are in town for one of the stops don’t miss it. It is the event of summer! Speaking from the experience of a (formerly) 40 week pregnant lady, eating 14 slices of cake in one day IS LIVING YOUR BEST LIFE.

Just for Fun: Have you caught the latest episodes of Kitchen Tape Pod? In one we discuss who owns a recipe with a guest lawyer and in another we deep dive into frozen treats. Catch both for all the insights and laughter.

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Makes One Quarter Sheet

Crust:

4 cups graham/saltine mix

2 sticks butter. melted

Jello:

6 cups water

1/4 cup thai tea bags or loose leaf

2 cups brown sugar

3 Tablespoons non flavored gelatin

Filling:

4 cups heavy cream

1.5 cups thai tea (from reserved above)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 can condensed milk

2 Tablespoons non flavored gelatin

salt

3Tbs non flavored gelatin

To Make: Preheat your oven to 350. In a food processor, add saltines and graham crackers. Pulse till fine. Continue to pulse as you add in butter slowly. Stop when the mixture pulls together. You may not need all your butter. You can also crush up the graham crackers and saltines inside a ziplock bag with a rolling pin. This will take a little longer and result in a coarser texture. Press mixture into a quarter sheet pan.

Bake crust 350, 12 minutes till firm. Chill.

While crust is baking make your jello. Brew the tea and reserve 1.5 cups. Bloom the gelatin in the remaining tea, according to the package instructions. Pour into an 8 x 8 pan and move to your fridge to set for 3-4 hours.

Once your jello is set use a knife to cut up cubes. You can be really precise with this or chunk it randomly, either way you’ll get a really cool effect in the pie. Set aside.

Make your creamy filling by whipping together cream and brown sugar till medium peaks. Meanwhile reheat your reserved tea slightly and bloom your gelatin. Continue whipping as you drizzle in the condensed milk, followed by your tea mixture. Place a pan extender on your quarter sheet pan and add your cubed jello scattered over the whole thing. Pour your cream mixture on top, and press in more jello to peak through. Move to the fridge to chill for 3-4 hours.

Top with powdered tea, glitter, and florals - have fun! Slice, serve and enjoy the wiggles!

Note: You can do this with any tea! I think a matcha variation would be stunning, all those emerald greens. If you don’t have a pan extender you can break this recipe into two 8 x 8 pans or half it.