At 640 pages and nearly two inches thick, Pie, the big book with the shortest possible title, is difficult to read in bed. It's hard to hold up. It weighs on the stomach. But bed is where you will want to take it, night after night, following author Richard Haedrich's lead through fruit pies, berry pies, nut pies, custard pies, turnovers, ice cream pies, and more. Headrich has the most reassuring voice in food literature, and his lifelong passion--the making and baking of all manner of pies--soon begins to fit the reader like new skin.

The first 60 pages are given over to general directions (for example, Haedrich is a firm believer in reading a recipe through to completion before lifting a finger; he rolls his dough on wax paper) and the making and shaping of crust. You will find everything you need to know about creating terrific pie crusts including a friendly pat on the back and the sage advice that great crust comes with experience. This is all but permission to bake several pies a week for the rest of your life. The 300 some recipes in Pie will help you on your way. There are 21 crust recipes alone, everything from that perfect flaky crust to Choco-Nut Press-In Pie Crust.

Ever hear of the Balaton, what sounds like the perfect pie cherry? Haedrich doesn't just give you a cherry pie recipe (there are actually nine), he tells you all about cherries (there's a box titled "Crash Course in Cherries"). And talking about cherries leads to talking about regions of the country, the people in the landscape, the fruit on the trees. You will travel endless miles of back roads with Pie. Haedrich feeds you information in easy bursts, like conversational asides, as recipe leads, as sidebars, as boxes, as how-to notes the author calls "Recipe for Success." In just the pages on cherry pie you'll find out about product sources, sanding sugar, pitting cherries inside plastic bags, lattice pie crusts, baking with kids, knotting cherry stems with your tongue, IQF (individually quick frozen fruit), and much more. And cherry pie isn't a chapter all its own, but a small part of the chapter called Summer Fruit Pies. All told there are 13 chapters in Pie.

Books like Pie don't happen overnight, or even over a year of nights. Haedrich didn't apply his considerable food writing skill to a subject he simply pulled off the shelf. While the tone may be easy going, there's nothing casual here about either the task or the accomplishment. Pie represents a considerable chunk of one man's life wedged between the covers of a book. The tens of thousands of bits and pieces of valuable information, quotes, lines of poetry, not to mention the recipes and careful instruction comes from years and years of both accumulation and winnowing down to the very best.

And all along, page after page, there's that implacably friendly, reassuring voice, leading, encouraging, enlightening. How often do you crack open a cookbook and wind up with a new best friend? Such is the nature of a great book. Such is the magic of Pie and Ken Haedrich. --Schuyler Ingle

From Publishers Weekly
No, that number's not a typo: here are 300 recipes for sweet pies, with fillings ranging from fruits to nuts, ice cream to custard. Haedrich, a cooking teacher and cookbook author (Apple Pie Perfect, etc.), shares an astonishing quantity of recipes, advice, pie history and musings on issues such as the butter vs. lard debate and his passion for sour cherries. His zeal and solid expertise make this book a worthy addition to the baker's bookshelf. There are 57 pages of information on pie crusts alone, but Haedrich's tone is clear and encouraging, as he addresses pie pans, rolling pins, pastry edges and more. The recipes range from All-Rhubarb Pie to more exotic offerings such as Watermelon Rind Pie and Carrot Custard Pie (Haedrich also includes 25 recipes for apple pie). Pie snobs, take note: each crust recipe gives instructions for making the pastry by hand, with an electric mixer or in a food processor. Similarly, Haedrich assures readers it's all right to use frozen fruit. Intrepid pie makers will be pleased with the recommendations throughout for other cookbooks and magazines, and the list of resources includes useful information on baker's catalogues, fruit farms and nut growers. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Every cook appreciates the irony behind "easy as pie." Anyone who's tried knows how challenging it can be to make a perfect crust and a perfect filling. Haedrich's comprehensive guide to this all-American dessert first confronts most cooks' greatest fear: pastry. Using explicit directions and multiple methodologies, Haedrich covers every version of piecrust, from those made with vegetable shortening to those with butter, lard, oil, and cream cheese. He also offers crumb-based and uncommon crusts, such as meringue shells used for angel pies. Complete pie recipes commence with an archetype: rhubarb, still referred to as "pie plant" in some communities. This seasonal delight gives way to cherry and all manner of plain and fancy summer berry pies before moving into more sophisticated fruits. Figs and the recently developed pluots appear in these recipes. Haedrich's nut pies go far beyond pecan pie, with walnut and hazelnut examples, and appeal to people looking for the ultimate in sweet richness. Haedrich doesn't neglect ever-popular cream pies, with plenty of coconut and chocolate delights. Mark Knoblauch
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Book Description
Pie is the most comprehensive and accessible book ever written on the subject of American pie. An instructive, anecdotal introductory chapter walks home bakers through pastry making. Answers to questions home bakers want to know. The only resource a home baker needs.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Pie is the most comprehensive and accessible book ever written on the subject of American pie. An instructive, anecdotal chapter walks home bakers through pastry making how to's. Answers to questions home bakers want to know. The only resource a home baker needs.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

No, that number's not a typo: here are 300 recipes for sweet pies, with fillings ranging from fruits to nuts, ice cream to custard. Haedrich, a cooking teacher and cookbook author (Apple Pie Perfect, etc.), shares an astonishing quantity of recipes, advice, pie history and musings on issues such as the butter vs. lard debate and his passion for sour cherries. His zeal and solid expertise make this book a worthy addition to the baker's bookshelf. There are 57 pages of information on pie crusts alone, but Haedrich's tone is clear and encouraging, as he addresses pie pans, rolling pins, pastry edges and more. The recipes range from All-Rhubarb Pie to more exotic offerings such as Watermelon Rind Pie and Carrot Custard Pie (Haedrich also includes 25 recipes for apple pie). Pie snobs, take note: each crust recipe gives instructions for making the pastry by hand, with an electric mixer or in a food processor. Similarly, Haedrich assures readers it's all right to use frozen fruit. Intrepid pie makers will be pleased with the recommendations throughout for other cookbooks and magazines, and the list of resources includes useful information on baker's catalogues, fruit farms and nut growers. (Oct.) Forecast: This should be a strong fall seller, pubbing in time for apple and pumpkin season. The publisher plans a $50,000 marketing campaign, including a 12-city "Pie Clinic" author tour and appearances at regional book fairs. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

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