Pie Every Day

April 15, 1997
Dannenberg, the author of a half dozen other books on France and French cooking, presents tarts, tourtes, and quiches from patissiers, top chefs, and home cooks. There are classics like Tarte aux Poireaux (Leek Tart), more unusual creations such as Tartelettes Tatin au Foie Gras, and variations on the theme, like French Toast Plum Tart. Many of the recipes are accompanied by stunning color photographs, and whimsical illustrations decorate the text. For most baking collections. [BOMC selection.] Willard, a New York food writer, might be described as a pie fanatic; she likes pie at any time of the day, and when she has it for breakfast, it's likely to be freshly baked rather than a leftover. She offers recipes for any occasion, from "quick pies for when friends drop in" to "knock-'em-dead creations and labors of love." There are both savory and sweet pies here, along with "pie history," tips on dealing with the fear of piecrust, and anecdotes about friends and fellow pie bakers. For most collections.

March 15, 1997
Willard credits her pie savvy to a stint as a waitress, during which she learned the secrets of making a good piecrust. She agrees with other authorities on the difference between butter and lard: butter gives crust the best flavor, but lard provides superior texture. Willard adopts a very broad definition of "pie," not only covering dessert and savory varieties, but also extending the term to include phyllo pastries as well as other near-relatives of pie, such as "pate-a-choux," whose puffiness lends itself to all sorts of different stuffings. Willard's re-creation of oyster pie will bring a flood of memories to those familiar with this vintage recipe, but dessert mavens might be bewildered that Willard includes fruit cobblers, since cobblers and pies are traditionally rivals for the produce of berry-harvesting season. ((Reviewed March 15, 1997))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 1997, American Library Association.)