The Lost Art of Pie Making Made Easy Paperback – May 14, 2004

Does the thought of making pie crust send you scrambling to the supermarket to purchase the ready-made kind? That's what it does to me! I've liked the pies I've made with the "store-bought" ones; you know the kind in the refrigerator section that comes in rolls? BUT, I like the real-deal and would just LOVE to make my own and have it turn out PERFECT...uh-oh...that won't do. Here is what Barbara Swell (my heroine!) has to say about pie being perfect:"What is it with pie and perfect? Surely that's something modern cookbook authors have dreamed up. Of course you probably want your neurosurgeon to get things exactly right, but not so with your pie baking. Save perfection for special uppity-occasion tart baking and maybe pie contests."That's my kind of cooking-guru gal! By the way, "uppity" is another way of saying "high-falutin'." ;)I first met Barbara Swell's homey, southern-gal approach to good old-fashioned cooking, in Aunt Barb's Bread Book and then I followed up with Take Two & Butter 'Em While They're Hot: Heirloom Recipes & Kitchen Wisdom. (I've written reviews on both.) I am in LOVE with her books! And in my simple way; I'm trying to put the word out to people similarly interested in Barbara Swell's charming style and passion for "rural," old-timey, and farm cooking; associated lore, and history. If this includes you; I recommend her books.What attracts me to Barbara Swell's books are just those things: the historical lore, old photos, shared family memories, humor, and her warm writing style. I feel as though I'm transported to her kitchen table and chatting with her. And then, I like the recipes. Throughout these marvelous books there are tips and kind guidance to help me produce my own little "masterpieces" of love to set before my husband and friends. I love that sense of pride in accomplishment and the happiness I get when I see my husband gobble down my offerings and then ask for seconds.In chapter seven, Men Love Pie; Barbara has dug up this historical evidence: From the 1930's Tested Recipes with Jewel Shortening, "Pies are the American man's favorite." In the March 1940 issue of Farm Journal and Farmer's Wife magazine there's an entire section dedicated to the demise of "he-man" meals. Farmers' wives were trying to deliver healthier meals to their hard-working hubbies. What did the husbands have to say about this? "And pie! How men long for good flaky crusted pie. None of these chiffony things, mind you, but first class apple, pumpkin, custard, or cherry pie!" I love reading these kinds of tidbits; I smile and even laugh outright reading Swell's books!You need to know that this book is in black and white print, (no glossy color photos,) it's small; measuring 5.5x8.5-inches, and has 72 pages with 54 recipes. The recipes are broken down into ten categories: crust, meringue, fruit, lemon, cream, custard, nut, Pennsylvania Dutch, quick, holiday, and chicken. Other chapters include: The Lost Art of Pie, (a bit of history about how pie-making began, changed in the 1970's to wiggly-jiggly gelatin pies, and has now had resurgence to "down-home old-timey pie."); The Pie Contest, (a how-to on starting your own pie contest); The Pie Aunts, (famous aunties, Chick and Jenny in the 1930's); and Pie Hints, (blind baking, when to use lattice crust, and more.)Are you worried about packing on the pounds if you start baking and eating pie? Have no fear Barbara gives ways to neutralize the calories! (page 2.) She jokingly says that she will next write the book, "The Pie Diet!" Put me on the pre-order list!Have you heard: "If you eat the point of a piece of pie first, you will be an old maid?" or "If you take the last piece of pie on a plate, you will get a handsome husband or a beautiful wife?"

What a delightful little book! THE LOST ART OF PIE MAKING MADE EASY is a collection of traditional pie recipes gathered from "primary historical sources". The "historical sources" seem to be "public domain sources", but that doesn't make the recipes any less good! They come from old cookbooks (e.g., Galax, Larkin Housewives, Gold Medal Flour), magazines (e.g., Ladies' Home Journal, Farm Life), cookbooklets published by Aunt Jenny and Aunt Chick in the 1930's and 40's, and handwritten family recipes.A few of the included traditional pie recipes are: Fresh Strawberry, Double Sour Cherry Amaretto, Nellie's Concord Grape, Lemon Sponge, Banana Cream, Slipped Custard, Sweet Potato, Pinto Bean, Classic Pecan, Shoofly, Pumpkin, Chicken, and Mince. There are also some recipes for cobblers (e.g., Funny Cake, Cranberry Surprise).The recipes are accompanied by vintage advertisements, line drawings, how-to photographs, and photographs of cooks (professional and amateur) showing off their pies. Many bits of "pie folklore" and "pie wisdom" are added, in boxed introductions and text. For example, Kentucky superstitions hold that "If a piece of pie points half-way around, you may expect a letter the next day." And it is a well known fact, as stated in 12 PIES HUSBANDS LIKE BEST (1952): "Nearly every man loves pie!"The illustrations and folklore make for enjoyable light reading and serendipitous discoveries. Because the recipes are presented as originally written, you will sometimes have to look up ingredients on the Internet. For example, I thought that "Transparent Pudding" sounded interesting, but had to Google "loaf-sugar", which--not surprisingly--turns out to be sugar that is sold in solid-block form. However, most of the recipes don't require any extra interpretation.If you're looking for a comprehensive cookbook on pie-making, two very good ones are Ken Haedrich's Pie: 300 Tried-and-True Recipes for Delicious Homemade Pie, and Rose Levy Beranbaum's The Pie and Pastry Bible.

I wanted a simple book for reference with some basic pies, tips/tricks, and gotchas. We don't eat a lot of sweets but around the holidays pies are a big hit to spoil ourselves, but while I've grown up eating pies in the south, it's not something I've tried much in the past so I wanted something to assist. It's not a huge book, but it's got good basic info some really good recipes and its an amusing , easy read. so far has been perfect for what I need. It's already given me a tip that helped keep my fruit pies from their normal issue which is not setting firm.

Best pie crust I’ve ever made. Lots of helpful information too. Many great recipes. This book is a treasure. Thank you!

Lots of great easy recipes

This is a nice little book packed full of history, Old advertisements, RECIPES and other COOL, FUN stuff, Good to get a reminder of what our Mums and Grands did way back when and its not hard to make the recipes too. LOVE the cookbooks filled with nostalgia and useful info for the modern cook. Great Art work too.

No es el mejor libro... seguiré buscando, las fotos más que provocar antojo de comer un pay te provocan ganas de no hacerlo, lastima pensé que serianjna mejor inversión

I buy 5 of these excellent pie cookbooks at a time so that I can give them to friends that will hopefully learn to make excellent pie and invite me over to thank me by giving me a piece of their pie.

Disappointed in this book. It's very thin and some of the cutesy sayings don't even make sense. Pretty cover with not much in it.

This really is a great little book that I wouldn't be without. Initially I ordered it by mistake but on arrival I was so impressed I decided to keep it. It is my bible for pastry making and pies/tarts, well worth the money!!!

Interesting little book arrived on time