I did not grow up in a household where dessert was a regular thing. More often than not, when we asked about a sweet treat after dinner, we were pointed to the fruit bowl or a jar of applesauce. However, once or twice a year, there would be pie.
The pie happened on no particular schedule. My mom baked in response to her own cravings and could not be hurried or begging into producing pie. We learned early that it was better to leave her alone and accept the serendipitous pie than try to wheedle it into being. And accept it, we did. Her pies were always sturdy, not-too-sweet creations that piled mountains of fruit into a nutty, half whole wheat crust. My favorite thing was being allowed a slice for breakfast the next day.
Thanks to this early conditioning, pie will be forever feel like a way create a special occasion out of a Wednesday evening. It’s one of the things I hope to do with my kids someday (of course, I have to have them first).
You may be asking yourself, why is Marisa waxing poetic about her childhood pie memories? I recently got a review copy of Ashley English’s new book, A Year of Pies, and now I can’t stop thinking about tucking food, both sweet and savory, between layers of crust.
Some of you probably know Ashley from her blog, Small Measure, or from her other four (!) books on all manner homesteady topics like Keeping Bees and Canning and Preserving. This book is similar in organization to her previous ones in that it offers an extensive section towards the front of the book that walks you through the equipment, the different kinds of crusts (and what each is best for), tips on rolling and the various techniques you can employ to achieve gorgeous crusts, before moving on to the recipes.
Once through that grounding section, the rest of the book is arranged by season, proving unequivocally that pie isn’t just a summer and fall dessert. Any winter day would be made better by the Maple Orange Walnut Pie on page 55 on the Carrot Pie on page 77.
The book contains sweet pies, savory pies (like the homey Chicken Pot Pie pictured below), tarts, galettes, crostada and hand pies. There are both bake and no-bake options and even a pie version of Polish-style stuffed cabbage. Ashley also invited a few of her blogging friends to contribute recipes, including a Gluten-Free Streusel Apple Pie from Hip Girl’s Guide to Homemaking author Kate Payne.
For those of us who are working our way through baskets of berries and armloads of peaches this time of year, I think it’s important to put a little of that fruit aside and make something that allows us to enjoy the bounty now, as well as later. Pie is on my to-do list for later this week.
What a wonderful looking book.My mother was not a pie baker either.I remember she baked pies for Thanksgiving only.We were allowed to eat the scraps of crust baked with a sprinkle of suger on them.My pie baking abilities are nil.Heck I use premade crusts(ugh).I need to work on that!
Just love Ashley English’s books!
Pies are a favorite dessert ~ more special to me than cake, even. I would have a hard time choosing between my chocolate pie with whipped cream, or my peach~blueberry pie. Then, there is always coconut with meringue. Or, blackberry. Ahhh, pie.
My daughter makes beautiful pies. I want to develop a good gluten free crust recipe so I can eat the whole thing, rather than just tasting the filling!
I LOVE pies and love baking them. Whenever I bake a pie that has a regular flour based crust, I always use my great grandmothers recipe, substituting lard for the shortening when I can. Wonderful pie crust that I’ve now handed the recipe down to my daughters. It turns out just as delicious for them as well.
I always keep a stash of homemade pie dough in the freezer for those “pie craving” moments. Making pie is a very Zen experience for me…not stressful like it is for many. Savoring that piece of pie for breakfast(if there is any leftover) is pure nirvana.
I am a lover of pie. When I was a child, my father and I would wait until spring to have our favorite pie, strawberry rhubarb. I did not want cake for my birthday, just a strawberry rhubarb pie. Luckily, my birthday is in late spring, and my wish was always granted. Now you get this pie anytime of year, but back then, only in the late spring. And the pie that is now called hand pie was known in our family as a shovel pie. My grandfater worked in the coal mines when he first came to this country, and my grandmother would send him off to work with a ‘shovel pie’ for lunch. You put it on your shovel and held it over the fire to heat it up and have a hot meal. All hale pie!!
My favorite pie hands down is Shoo Fly Pie. An Amish woman baked one for me as a thank you in return for picking her up and dropping her off at her sons house, then doing the return trip a few hours later. It was so delicious. I also got to see the baby lambs they had in their barn that day and was invited into the Amish house (just the kitchen) for the first time (I used to work for them) as well that day. Overall wonderful experience.
Gorgeous book! Every year for his birthday my husband asks for French Silk Pie. I have a favorite recipe from BHG that involves many steps with melting, mixing, and ice water baths but it produces a pie worthy of a celebration. Well worth the extra effort.
Pies are somewhat of a sacred food item in my family. I grew up in Maine, and the question we would always ask when picking the tiny wild blueberries that signaled that it was August would be, “Is this enough for a pie?”.
Grandma used to make pies at the train station in the 50’s and 60’s. She could make 50 pies at a time, but could not make 2 pies at home. She said the recipe did not translate to 2 pies. But she made us a lot of other great pastry like her honey scones.
I love pie but my crusts are… rustic. A book explaining better technique would be great!
I think my favorite pie are the mini pumpkin but then I make all kinds of the mini and freeze them. They really are wonderful thawed, warmed slightly and with a bigf scoop of vanilla ice cream on them.
My favorite is peach pie.
But my favorite pie story is the year I made blackberry pies, on request, to take into work. Even though I packed them very carefully I had to slam on my brakes on the way to the office and my beautiful, almost new car (then) still has the blackberry stains on the back seat almost 20 years later. It did not affect the taste I guess because I took home two empty pie pans that night.
My father in law just turned 94. What do you get him? He loves my cooking so I always cook for his gifts. This year he requested apple pie. It was the prettiest one ever. He was so happy.
For me I was always the pie baker in my family lemon meringue is my favorite but I don’t do it often because of all the work. Also love cherry but we mostly end up with apple in my house because that is what my kids like.
We never had pie at our house unless it was Thanksgiving or Christmas. I think my favorite pie now is my Mother-in-law’s walnut pie that she makes every year (I have only been with them for a few holidays, but it has been great every time). Knowing neither of them will never see this, I can confidently admit that I wish she would have taught my wife a little more carefully how to make this at some point, her version is much better!
Many years ago, my brother, then a lanky teenage boy, now, sadly gone from us, made a lemon meringue pie — and left the sugar out of the filling. . He was sad and embarrassed, but I always thought he was brave to try. Thanks for nudging that memory and the chance to win the book. I opened a jar of Dilly Beans today–made from your recipe. YUM!
I love pies. My step mother makes a great pumpkin pie that has all of the spices on top (not mixed in). It is so novel looking and tasty!
As odd as this probably sounds, some of my favorite pies come from the truck stop a few miles away from my little mountainside home. The stop is now known for its “Ice Road Truckers” fame, but up until that point, was famous among the locals for its incredible pies! My favorite is the “Fat Man” pie — it’s truly indulgent.
I have two mixing bowls full of blueberries in the fridge. There will be pie this week.
I love all pies, but my favoritest pie is lemon meringue. I still can’t make one for the life of me, though. They turn out delicious but the filling is always too runny.
I’m fond of stopping by the Snohomish Pie Company in, of all places, Snohomish for a really yummy apple crumb topping pie. It’s a great way to start a Saturday!
Neil
I LOVE pie, any kind of pie… My mother was not a baker but my grandmother baked the best pies! I make a chocolate pie that my children request for every holiday or family get together. It comes from an old Betty Crocker cookbook I received when I was in 8th grade some 46 years ago and it is timeless!
mmm pie…..my dream is to have my own pie shop. I’d call it Pie in the Sky, since I live in the mountains at 5000 feet above sea level,
When I was growing up, pies were a big thing in our house. My 2 younger sisters and I would compete to see who was the best pie makers. After a car vacation in Oregon (we fought the whole time in the backseat), my younger sister was put in charge of making a pie with all the blackberries that we had hand picked and brought back.
The pie she made was a thing of beauty…. Extra large with a perfect crust. She even added berries cut out of crust and added to the top. we all ate our dinner in high anticipation (she timed it so that it would come out of the oven just in time for dessert.
When it was ready, we all stood ready to watch the masterpiece come forth…..As she took it out, she burnt her finger and dropped the whole pie on the floor, and the Pyrex pie plate shattered among the berries. Needless to say, everybody cried that night, and my sister has not made a pie since!
Oh, pie. My mom has always tended toward cakes and cookies instead of pies, so I never grew up learning to bake them. I finally tried one this spring (a strawberry rhubarb one), and it was DISMAL. It looked gorgeous on the top, but upon cutting into it, I encountered a hugely runny mess. But I tried again a couple weeks later, and this time it worked! I picked up a surprise pint of raspberries (hard to find in my area) and some peaches, and I’m hoping to try something pie-ish with those this weekend. Can’t wait!
I come from a family of pie lovers (my brother, who won’t eat pie, is frequently teased for this fact because, really, who doesn’t like pie?) In any case, it’s a much-loved family detail that my great-grandfather was such a lover of a pie that “Pie” was his long-time nickname because he’s eat it anytime, anywhere, and in pretty much any incarnation.
I love making plum gallettes, yum!
Pie! My favorite in all its forms – fruit pie, Amish cream pie, quiche (just savory pie), turnovers (inside-out pie!), galettes (rustic pie!). Nothing is better than dumping a cup of flour into a bowl, cutting in the butter, and sneaking bites of the dough as you’re rolling it out.
I made a delicious ‘Celebration Pot Pie’ from the Horn of the Moon cookbook with thanksgiving leftovers a few years ago and now the holidays wouldn’t be complete without it. It’s to die for. Thanks for this chance!
I love the “autumn-ish” pies: pumpkin, pecan, cream. My birthday falls in October and each year my mom would make me a pumpkin pie to celebrate instead of a cake. I still eat pumpkin pie on my birthday 30+ years later!
(BTW, I love your new book!)
My favorite pie is probably a pecan pie. I really like making pies and would love to have a book that is dedicated to pies. I am still a beginner but I love love to learn. Thank you.
My favorite pie memory is making pumpkin pies with my MeMa! They were so delish, I would ask for one (or two!) for my birthday “cake”. Who needs an actual cake for a birthday party?? Best pumpkin pie ever. Since she has gone, my family and I all try and try to replicate her masterpieces, but we will never even come close. Sweet memories!
My dad’s favorite is apple pie with cheddar cheese on top. When they were first married, my mom wanted to surprise him by baking an apple pie, but there was no cheddar cheese in the house, so she sprinkled the top crust liberally with the parmesan cheese that comes in little green cans. Good newlywed that my dad was, he ate every bite of the slice she served him (but he didn’t ask for seconds).
What a beautiful cookbook!
I love pies, but my all-time favorite is Strawberrry Rhubarb. It reminds me of when I was 10 years old and my mom used strawberry and rhubarbs from her own garden to bake up a delicious pie. YUM.
For as long as I can remember, my dad has always made a banana cream pie for family gatherings. It just isn’t Christmas without banana cream pie!
My Nana makes amazing butternut squash “pumpkin” pies for Thanksgiving. Until recently I had never tasted a real pumpkin pie! It is amazing how much a bit of crust can elevate any filling.
I just baked a cherry pie for my husband’s birthday last weekend. He prefers it to cake. 🙂
My husband LOVES pecan pie. Shortly after we were engaged, we had our parents meet at my mother’s house the Friday after thanksgiving for dinner. Attempting to impress my then soon-to-be mother-in-law and appease my husband’s cravings I decided to make two pies, one pecan and a faux pumpkin pie made with sweet potatoes. After slaving all day and fretting over these pies, they came out perfectly. I was so happy when I was finished that I forced my father, husband and brother into to kitchen immediately to marvel at what I had done. It wasn’t until the next day when I got up to make my morning coffee that I realized the kitchen was abnormally warm. It turns out that in my excitement I had forgotten to turn my over off, it was on all day and all night. I’m lucky we made it to thanksgiving alive. I never told my mother-in-law… Or my landlord. But the pies were fabulous, and that’s the important thing, right?
Just last week, I attempted to make a peach pie with my daughter. After a fight with the pie curst, I taught her how to make peach cobbler instead!
Pie…this sweet -tooth’s most favorite dessert! I love all fruit pies…especially the old fashioned but never homely apple pie!
I’m looking forward to perusing and cooking from Ashley’s newest edition…all of which have never failed to please. Thank you
I just started dabbling with baking and, more specifically, pies last year. By the time Christmas rolled around I was ready to wow my family with some serious pies for dessert. My Dad still gushes about the Bourbon Pumpkin Pecan Pie. Homemade crust, from scratch pumpkin, bourbon, dabble of pecans….just.so.good. Would love to get my hands on a pie cookbook! Broaden the horizon a bit!
I just made a peach pie last week. It was delicious, and I made it more so that I could have the experience of making a pie. I just moved away from home with my husband to a new land (well, to Alabama from Iowa) and a peach pie was just the medicine I needed.
We are not a dessert house – I’m pretty anti-sugar on all fronts, and fresh local fruit beats a sugary concoction any day, in my book.
Except for pie. I think I’m like your mom… I make 2 or 3 a year, when we have a bounty of ripe fruit or berries, and they are glorious. Mmmmmm…. Pie.
Being from Texas, of course mine is a sticky-sweet, wonderful pecan pie!
I remember being 11 and my mom allowing my best friend and I to make a pie all on our own. It was French silk, absolutely delicious, and the kitchen was a total disaster. But as a result, it will always be one of my favorites!
My favorite pie would have to be apple! My favorite season is fall, and there’s something about the smell and taste that just embodies the season.
Pie. Glorious pie. Seriously, there isn’t anything bad you could serve, so long as it is served between two crusts.
I like savory pies, like leek pie. Unfortunately, the idea grosses people out so they never give it a chance and it is delicious—-plus, it means you can eat pie for supper and then have a sweet pie for dessert!
My grandmother would always make my dad a deal during his childhood summers: “If you pick the blackberries, I’ll make the pie.” It was always so difficult for him to choose between dealing with the briars and prickles versus the long-term result: her incredible pie.
The pie always won.
My pie-related fact is that I want this book so I can give it to my husband. He is the pie-maker at our house. While I get flustered over making pie crusts (I once accidentally broke one of my favorite pie dishes on Thanksgiving in a fit of sheer frustration), he does it easily and regularly. His most recent creation: an apple pie with cream cheese tucked away in it. A-MAZ-ING. The husband and I are actually a pretty great team when it comes to apple pie: I can quarts of apple pie filling every fall and let him do the work for the rest of the year. It’s a nice arrangement.
Anyway, thanks for the giveaway. I also just got your cookbook in the mail last week — it’s lovely!