The Book On Pie: Everything You Need to Know to Bake Perfect Pies

by Erin Jeanne McDowell

Mark Weinberg (Photographer)

Erin Jeanne McDowell, New York Times contributing baker extraordinaire and top food stylist, wrote the book on pie, a comprehensive handbook that distills all you'll ever need to know for making perfect pies. The Book on Pie starts with the basics, including ways to mix pie dough for extra flaky crusts, storage and freezing, recipe size conversions, and expert tips for decorating and styling, before diving into the recipes for all the different kinds of pies: fruit, custard, cream, chiffon, cold set, savory, and mini. Find everything from classics like Apple Pie and Pumpkin Pie, to more inspired recipes like Birthday-Cake Pie and Caramel Pork Pie with Chile and Scallions.
Erin also suggests recommended pie doughs and toppings with each recipe for infinitely customizable pies: Mix and match Pumpkin Spice Pie Dough and Dark Chocolate Drippy Glaze with the Pumpkin Pie, or sub in the Chive Compound-Butter Crust for the Croque Madame Pielets . . . the possibilities are endless. With helpful tips, photographic guides, and inspirations—pie-deas—it's almost like having Erin in the kitchen baking pies with you.

• ISBN10: 0358229286
• ISBN13: 9780358229285
• Publish Date: 14 December 2020 (first published 10 November 2020)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 352
• Language: English

Reviews

[annieb123]

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

The Book on Pie is an encyclopedic primer and recipe collection developed and curated by Erin Jeanne McDowell. Due out 10th Nov 2020 from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt on their Rux Martin imprint, it's 352 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats.
Pies, in all their variations, are classic and universal - spanning nearly all world cuisines in one form or another. They can be simple or devilishly difficult to make consistently. This new collection of tutorials and recipes guides the baker through the process in an accessible and understandable way. The introduction includes a good overview of tools, supplies, and ingredients.

The layout is graphically appealing, logical and easy to follow. The chapters are arranged roughly thematically: from dough and crust variations, decor and toppings, fruit pies, custard pies, cream chiffon & cold set pies, and savory pies. Each of the recipes includes an introductory description, ingredients listed in a bullet point sidebar (metric & US measurements included - yay!), step by step instructions, as well a footers with tips and alternative suggestions as well as professional tips on presentation and more. One of the high points of the book for me were the photographs. Although not all the recipes are accompanied by photos, the ones which are included are high quality and clear - and serving suggestions are appealing and appropriate. Really beautiful pies with professional finishes, and something for me to aim for.

The recipe ingredients themselves are (mostly) easily sourced and will be available at well stocked grocery stores. There are a very few ingredients which might be a little more difficult to source, but definitely nothing that is 'way out there'.

All in all, -very- well written, beautifully presented pies, made from tasty ingredients which are easily sourced and beautifully enhanced with decorative complex looking fancy crusts. For cooks looking for a pie cookbook, this one is very very well written and presented.

Five stars, we'll be revisiting this recipe book often. A useful antidote to boring deserts. There are -so- many of these which will blow the socks off the "competition" at the next holiday gathering, reunion, or church social.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.