The Book on Pie

Starred review from June 15, 2020
McDowell, baking columnist for Food52, hits the mark in this expert guide to pie making, both sweet and savory. Beginning with a chapter on doughs and crusts, MacDowell lays a foundation with recipes for pie doughs including whole-wheat, gluten-free, and cornmeal, as well as hot-water, puff pastry, and a variety of press-in cookie crusts. Pie recipes are divided into chapters by type, including fruit, custard, and “Cream, Chiffon & Cold Set Pies.” The savory section includes an avocado galette, croque monsieur pielets, a “Forager’s Mushroom Pie,” and a red onion tarte tatin. Must-bake highlights include a stunning blood orange brûlée pie and a free-form domed white chocolate-peppermint pie generously topped with fluffy meringue, and a shrimp boil pie, consisting of potatoes, shrimp, sausage, and corn atop puff pastry. The author’s informative yet laid-back spirit permeates the work, and her love of teaching pie baking comes through the pages. “Whys of Pies” sidebars—along with enticing photos by Mark Weinberg—share helpful information on topics including making substitutions for vegan and dairy-free pies, saving ripe seasonal fruit for later use, and successfully creating a deep-dish pie. This is a top-notch go-to for all things pie.

Starred review from September 1, 2020

Food writer and stylist McDowell (The Fearless Baker) presents a thorough and beautiful guide to all aspects of pie. The recipes (which include vegan and gluten-free options) cover the classics such as apple and rhubarb, as well as new ideas, such as cardamom cr�me br�l�e and nectarine semifreddo. Each recipe also offers variations and suggestions for crusts and topping options. But it's the education about and understanding of pie that make this book stand out. McDowell explains doughs, fillings, and toppings, how variations in ingredients can change balance, and how to correct troublesome pies. Charts outline how to scale up crusts and fillings for different pan and batch sizes, alongside advice on equipment and ingredients, and tips on improvising. The gorgeous photos illustrate levels of blind baking, lattice patterns, and various crimping options. VERDICT McDowell writes with a welcoming voice; newbies will be heartened and old hands will be impressed. Get out the rolling pin, this book has a pie for everyone.--Devon Thomas, Chelsea, MI

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2020
When fall's bounty of fruit appears, cooks' thoughts turn irresistibly to pie. McDowell's (The Fearless Baker, 2017) own thoughts run deep, even deep dish, as she shares her wealth of knowledge on baking just about every sort of pie imaginable. For most home bakers, pie crust is a real challenge. McDowell has precise, illustrated instructions to help, with advice for making crust gluten-free or from unusual flours, like spelt and pumpernickel. Ambitious bakers may follow McDowell's dozens of woven and latticed top crust instructions. Of course, a pie's filling is its raison d'�tre. Here McDowell shines, offering every sort of apple variation as well as berry fillings and other fruits. Also included are ever-popular citrus pies, including lemon meringue and key lime, and cream pies?coconut, chocolate, peanut butter. Savory pies, a British tradition, can serve as main dishes, in one case topped not with crust, but with a lattice of bacon. As if these recipes weren't enough inducement to get into the kitchen, Mark Weinberg's unfussy color photographs set a standard for perfection for bakers everywhere.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)