Pies are classic, homestyle desserts, whether you’re making one with an apple, cream or nut-based filling. Perfect Pies is a book that showcases nearly eighty great pie recipes from Michele Stuart, an award winning pie baker and the owner of the popular shop Michele’s Pies in Norwalk and Westport, Connecticut. The recipes show just how versatile a pie can be, with recipes that will satisfy pie lovers at any time of the year.
The cookbook is divided up into categories by pie types and include Farm Stand Pies, Nut Pies, Cream Pies, Party Pies and Savory Pies. There are separate chapters dedicated to crusts, pie toppings and garnishes, such as flavored whipped creams. The Farm Stand Pies are largely fruit pies, and they range from classic Cherry to tropical Pineapple-Mango, and the author emphasizes how using in-season fruit is going to give you the best results regardless of the type of pie you are baking. The Party Pies chapter has a mix of creative sounding pies that don’t quite fit into the other chapters, including a S’mores Delight Pie and a Tiramisu Pie. The savory pie chapter includes quite a few options, including pot pies and quiches, and are a nice balance to all the sweeter pies in the book.
All of the recipes are clearly written and easy to follow along with, even for the novice pie baker. This is because the author spends a lot of time describing the crust-making process and the crust is the foundation for any pie. The recipes sound delicious, with enough variety that you will easily find something for everyone, and the photos make the pies look so god that it is difficult to decide which recipe to start with. If you’re a pie lover, you might just try very recipe at least once.
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