Best Pie Cookbooks (for college credit!)

[luciaannek]

Hey CHers!

My college lets students design a project to do over the month of January. It can be ANYTHING (last year I went to Palestine, the year before that I took an electronic music course), must take 5-6 hours per week day, and you must complete 3 projects to graduate.

This year, I'm hoping to run a pie blog. I would create a reading list, bake a pie every weekday, and keep a blog, which would include posts about the pies I've made, and also about the readings, and reflections in general. I'm turning to you for the reading list.

I have no idea what to read. My two ideas are Martha Stewart's Pie and Tarts and seeing if Modernist Cuisine has anything on pie (my college's science library has a copy of modernist cuisine). Does anyone know of any cookbooks, or books, about pie? Pies across different cultures? The evolution of the pie? There are a million cookbooks about pie, but I'm hoping to find some sort of seminal text (I've grown up with the Stewart book, so that's the best I've got so far).

Let me know!

Lucia

[TrishUntrapped]

Thanks for bringing this thread back up. Luciaannek, did you start your blog? How is your project going? Very interested.

[soupkitten]

also of interest:

tarts & pies- classic & contemporary by philippa vanstone -- the author has really tracked down interesting historic and geographic info surrounding pie and presents it in a fun nonthreatening way. nice, crisp british perspective, straightforward. some of the multicultural scope the op searches for is here

baking in america by greg patent-- pie chapter is last, i wish it were longer. the whole book is a fascinating look at the history of american baking, through recipes.

technical/professional/advanced
perfect pastry: nick malgieri
baking: james peterson
perfect pies and tarts: anne willan

american pie council: www.piecouncil.org

[MsMaryMc]

One of my favorite food blogs is Art of the Pie http://artofthepie.com/wordpress/ by Kate Dermott. She's a Seattle-based chef and pie guru who teaches pie-baking workshops and writes wonderful stuff. Here is her list of recommended books (including some already suggested here), from her website:

Mrs. Appleyard’s Kitchen (1942), Louie Andrews Kent

Farm Journal’s Complete Pie Cookbook (1965

)

Home Economics, Wikiup Grange (1929)

The Apples of New York, Vol. I-II (1905)

Humble Pie (2005), Annie Dimock

Far Flung Hubbel: Essays from the American Road (1995), Sue Hubbell

Apple Pie: An American Story (2004), John T. Edge

[weezieduzzit]

My favorite is a small paperback called "8 Pies Husbands Like Best" by Spry shortening from the 40s or 50s.

I'm a really big fan of vintage pamphlets and regional cookbooks put out by churches and organizations in the 40s, 50s and 60s as well as the ones from food and appliance manufacturers. The different riffs on the same basic pies are really interesting.

[LabLady]

There have been a lot of good suggestions already, but since you're planning to make A LOT of different pies, I also want to recommend The Fannie Farmer Baking Book. It has a lot of neat 'old fashioned' pies like shoofly pie and soda cracker pie that would probably be interesting to look up the history and blog about.

[buttertart]

Yes yes yes a thousand times yes, if I had to be limited to one baking book that would be it.

[HillJ]

http://www.npr.org/2011/03/14/1343675...
NPR has a wide variety of stories about pie and pie making lore. If you type PIE in the NPR search engine you'll have recipes and back stories w/out having to buy any books. Good luck w/your project!

[luciaannek]

thanks!

[roxlet]

If you're planning on buying any of these books, check out
www.abebooks.com
where you can find many of them used, but in very good condition.

[TrishUntrapped]

Thanks for that link, some very nice prices!

[Caitlin McGrath]

Not everyone is a fan of Rose Levy Beranbaum's exacting and detailed style, but it's very informative so I'd recommend checking out her Pie and Pastry Bible, which is full of the theory and practice of pie crust and pie in general.

[luciaannek]

that sounds perfect!

[Caitlin McGrath]

The author also has a blog that includes forums where people discuss recipes and techniques, and she answers questions (not only about pie): http://www.realbakingwithrose.com/

[jen kalb]

Ive never been a Rose Berenbaum fan myself. Think pies, and bread for that matter, are a homier, simpler art than the fancy, fussy cakes she made her name with.

The Joy of Baking website (originally Canadian) can be a good resource http://www.joyofbaking.com/PieAndTartRecipes.html

If you can get your hands on it, Sue Hubbell's New Yorker piece about her travels delivering honey eastward and by the way searching for good pie (with a few recipes) makes good reading.
http://www.newyorker.com/archive/1989...
Its available in a compilation of her short pieces as well.

[Gio]

Lots of savory pies in Angela Boggiano's "Pie"

...http://www.amazon.com/Pie-Angela-Bogg...

[roxlet]

That's the one I was thinking of, Gio!

[roxlet]

Don't forget savory pies! Pies don't have to be sweet, and there is a book that I can't recall the name of right now, that does have mostly savory pies. Things like steak and Guinness, etc. The Art and Soul of cooking also has an interesting Stilton tart that I've not made, but intend to at some point in time.

[luciaannek]

I'm planning on dedicating a week out of the month to savory pies. Thanks for your help!

[Emme]

for sciency stuffy, i'd recommend Shirley Corriher's Bakewise, and for the more intense, Harold McGee's On Food and Cooking.

btw, what college do you go to, that has such an awesome policy?

[luciaannek]

I go to Oberlin College. It's a small liberal arts school in OH.
Thanks for these recs! I love Harold McGee! That should be super helpful.

[Emme]

i have a friend who went to oberlin... must ask her about this strange but fabulous requirement! jealous!

[jen kalb]

There is a great classic apple pie recipe in Ray Sokolov's book "Fading Feast". Your library ought to be able to obtain it for you. There is a Norske Nook cookbook (from the pie specialist restaurant in northern Wisconsin) . Carol Walters also has a decent pie book. There are many threads here on chowhound, including several discussing pie methods. they link some interesting discussions on "Serious Eats" of crust theory, including a new crust method by the creator of the vodka pie crust.

You should definitely try some regionals, like sweet potato and key lime.
Finally, there is my favorite pie, Pichet Ong's kabocha squash pie in a lime zest tinged graham cracker crust. intense and exotic, available online still, I believe.

enjoy your exploration!

[luciaannek]

Thanks! I'll def check out the crust method, and that squash pie sounds awesome.

[jen kalb]

Hee's the most recent Serious Eats piece with a new theory and method - it also links to the vodka crust recipe

http://sweets.seriouseats.com/2011/07/the-food-lab-the-science-of-pie-how-to-make-pie-crust-easy-recipe.html

Here's the squash pie

http://wednesdaychef.typepad.com/the_wednesday_chef/2008/01/pichet-ongs-squ.html

wonder of wonders, Googlebooks offers an image of Ray Sokolov's apple pie recipe, truly the best with a bit of cream inside - I will have to post the crust recipe, however. As I recall, its a vinegar and egg method crust.
http://books.google.com/books?id=iso1...

[TrishUntrapped]

I highly recommend Farm Journal's Complete Pie Cookbook: http://www.amazon.com/Farm-Journals-C...

FULL of recipes but much more! You'll get a lot of history:

Pioneer pies- Why were they round?
Why are pies considered party fare, and how do they stimulate baking contests?
What is a Hoosier Cream Pie? Where did Chiffon Pies originate? What are some of the most old-fashioned pies?

Just a lot of good solid information. I've made a lot of pies form this book. It is now out of print, but it stands the test of time as a classic.

[luciaannek]

That looks super cool! The history will be really useful. Thanks!

[bushwickgirl]

I have that lovely book, 1965 edition; it's the first one I go to for pie every time.

For the OP: This book might be of use to you as well, and give your blog some historical depth:

http://www.amazon.com/Pie-Global-Hist...

[buttertart]

Love that book too, and their Blue Ribbon cookbook is excellent as well.

[jen kalb]

yes this is a great pie cookbook. I like one of their pecan pie recips for my annual foray into pecan pie. and as I recall they have a good mock mincemeat recipe too.

[dfrostnh]

Thanks for posting that. I'll have to watch for it at the used bookstores. Also out of print, the three cookbooks the National Grange published with the first one in honor of the bicentennial. I love the recipes from different cooks around the country. I also have to learn how to make a good pie crust.

[luciaannek]

Thanks for the tip! I'll see if I can get it.

[TrishUntrapped]

Just an FYI,

Yesterday, when I first posted about this book, in the link I provided, Amazon had 10 copies, and now they are down to nine. The prices range from $22.98 - $83.85 (WOW SO HIGH). So if you want this book, I advise you get the $22.98 one ASAP.

[luciaannek]

Thanks for the tip! I reserved one on inter-library loan!

[TrishUntrapped]

Great! When you start your blog, let us know about it. I want to follow it. ;-)

[willownt]

Whoa! I bought this years ago, thanks to your glowing recommendation (which it deserves), and I looked it up -- I got it for $1 + shipping.

I love old cookbooks, but most baked goods from older times are a bit light on flavor -- chcolate cakes with two tsp of cocoa, for example, but old pie recipes seem very lively and flavorful.

Another fun old book with commentary is Edna Staebler's Food that Really Schmecks; all the pie recipes from it and its sequel (More Food...) are pulled out in Pies and Tarts with Schmecks Appeal (ISBN 0771082835), which is still affordable used online. Not as comprehensive as the Farm Journal, but worth reading.

[buttertart]

I adore Edna Staebler, have all her old books with dedications from my mom in them. She only recently died at a considerable age. Fun books.

[soupkitten]

note to everyone buying farm journal-- and yes the content of the book is kickass-- but several editions of the cookbook have a really terrible binding. i think my mom has gone through three different volumes of the same book because they start to fall apart. buy the book anyway, but maybe keep an eye out for a backup copy just in case.

[TrishUntrapped]

The cover of the blue "mass market" paperback which I have is definitely wearing. The rest of the book, surprisingly has remained intact. I say surprisingly because this book was clearly printed on the cheap. I haven't seen the hardcover version of this book. Soupkitten did your mom have a hardcover? Just wondering how that version held up.

Also, I really don't like the prices on Amazon for this book. $22.98 and up seems too high for a used mass market paperback. If anyone wants this book and can find it cheaper elsewhere, get it.

[soupkitten]

yes! to be clear-- it's the hardcover version of the book w the defective binding, just seriously weak glue, becomes a "loose leaf" volume very quickly :-P

now i will look for the "printed on the cheap" softcover, for myself!

[Becca Porter]

I highly recommend Ken Haedrich's PIE and Apple Pie Perfect.

http://www.amazon.com/Pie-Tried-True-Delicious-Homemade/dp/155832254X

http://www.amazon.com/Apple-Pie-Delic...

He has great pie crusts, tons of information, and at least one version of any pie I can think of.

[luciaannek]

Great! Thanks!

[roxlet]

That's my go-to pie boo too, Becca!