Pie is a food that you can eat year round, and plenty of pie-lovers find themselves baking them just as often in May as they do in November. But there is no doubt that pie season coincides with the holiday baking season, and many more people bake pies of all flavors from Halloween through Christmas. Me, Myself and Pie is a collection of more than 100 pie recipes that are sure to be a hit no matter when you bake them – and this week is a great time to pull out your butter and flour to start whipping one up.
The pie recipes in this book are ones that are beloved by the author and the Amish community in which she lives, in Pinecraft, Florida. You might not have known that there were Amish people in Florida (or that some, like the author, use electricity for cooking and baking), but there are and they are pie-loving people. Pies can transcend cultural barriers both because they are delicious and because they are so simple to make. Starting with the crust, a fruit pie can be made entirely with your own two hands without the need for any special equipment – though a rolling pin and a pie plate will definitely come in handy. While the recipes in the book do not call for the bare minimum of cooking equipment, it is a nice reminder to all of us bakers that we don’t need to rely on ready made crusts and fillings to make exceptionally delicious desserts.
The recipes are very clearly written and easy to follow along with. It begins with pie crust recipes, offering up ten different crust recipes and advice on baking and decorating them to perfection. There are a great variety of pie recipes, from double crust fruit pies to rich cream pies to tiny hand pies, in the following chapters. The book is packed with stunning, colorful photos that will put you in the mood to bake. Every recipe is illustrated and you can practically smell the fresh baked aromas coming off each page. In between the recipes, there are some slice of life stories that will give you a little insight into Amish life and a lot of insight about loving pie.
What do you think?