I Love Pies and Tarts

August 22, 2005
An unabashed enthusiasm for pie and all its crusty cousins—crostata, tart, crisp, cobbler—sweetens this cheerful, accessible collection of recipes by Kershner, best known for her desserts at the New York restaurants Town and Union Pacific. An expert in the often-perplexing world of dough making, Kershner is also a judicious tutor. Her first chapter breaks down the delicate science of handling gluten and includes the formulas for several basic crusts. These serve as the foundation for the recipes that follow, where fillings range from fruit, nuts and chocolate to onion, spinach and cheese. Kershner devotes considerable attention to traditional, regional American classics: apple and peach pies, Key Lime Pie, Southern-style Bourbon Pecan Pie, and other diner counter goodies. She supplements these with less predictable alternatives like dense Walnut Caramel Tart and elegant Lemon Tartlets. For more casual bakers, a chapter on rustic desserts features free-form Mixed Berry Turnovers and Pennsylvania Dutch Apple Dumplings. The instructions are easy to follow and the text is particularly encouraging for beginners. Helpful tips explain when frozen blueberries can be used instead of fresh and how to make your own buttermilk. Leaving out complicated techniques, Kershner teaches pie making at a basic level, keeping her book as simple as her subject.

October 15, 2005
In her first book on sweet and savory pies and tarts, executive pastry chef Kershner provides aspiring bakers with a good introduction to the world of the quintessential American dessert. This slender volume includes 50 recipes for pie -from fruit to chocolate fillings, and from rustic to sophisticated presentations -along with recipes for six kinds of crusts. Most of the recipes are classics that can be readily found elsewhere, such as apple, peach, and lemon meringue pies, but there are some standouts that merit attention: Raspberry Custard Pie, Frozen Peanut Butter Mousse Pie, and Cheddar Cheese Corn Pie could easily fit into a baker's standard repertoire. Instructions are brief and easy to follow. This title will encourage beginners, but serious pie bakers will want to explore other works, e.g., Rose Levy Beranbaum's encyclopedic "The Pie and Pastry Bible". An optional purchase." -Pauline Baughman, Multnomah Cty. Lib., Portland, OR"

Copyright 2005 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.