Growing up in Paducah, Kentucky—once the self-proclaimed strawberry capital of the world—Sara Bradley was raised to treat the adored red fruit like royalty, whether eating them straight from the vine or working them into simple recipes. “My mom’s strawberry pie was my favorite, but I had to wait all year because it had to be made with fresh strawberries,” says Bradley, executive chef and owner the Paducah restaurant Freight House. “That is one of my earliest lessons in learning to cook.” You can make it as one large pie (as below) or break up into several mini tarts using store-bought or homemade tart shells. Either way, don’t skimp on the black pepper whipped cream.