10 MOST BEAUTIFUL PIE & PI BOOKS

We are so happy that it’s Beautiful Pie week at BeautifulNow! All week long, we’ll be running really cool new stories about Pie and Pi. There will be no willpower here at BN HQ. None whatsoever.

 

We begin with 10 magnificent new books, including cookbooks, a childrens book, and a mind-blowing

memoir.

 

 

1. MS. AMERICAN PIE: BUTTERY GOOD PIE RECIPES AND BOLD TALES FROM THE AMERICAN GOTHIC HOUSE

 

Hello Ms. American Pie! Sorry, we couldn’t resist! But seriously, "Ms. American Pie: Buttery Good Pie Recipes and Bold Tales from the American Gothic House ,” by Beth M. Howard, is a book you will be happy to welcome into your kitchen.

 

Howard isn’t a celebrity chef. She bakes pies for celebrities. That gives her an extra level of credibility. She’s served Barbra Streisand (lemon meringue), Dick Van Dyke (strawberry rhubarb), and Steven Spielberg (coconut cream) out in Hollywood, before moving back home to rural Iowa.

 

The book contains her sought after recipes as well as beautiful photos that will have your grabbing for your rolling pin. Howard’s pies have purpose, with  chapters like Pies to Heal, Pies to Seduce, and Pies to Win the Iowa State Fair.

 

The book breaks a lot of rules, shares some useful secrets, and tells some cool tales.

 

Howard currently lives in the American Gothic House, the backdrop of Grant Wood’s famous painting American Gothic, and she runs the hugely popular Pitchfork Pie Stand. She is the author of the highly-acclaimed memoir Making Piece: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Pie. A veteran journalist, she has written for Real Simple, Natural Health, Shape, and Elle.

 

Race Point Publishing (2014)

2. THE FOUR & TWENTY BLACKBIRDS PIE BOOK: UNCOMMON RECIPES FROM THE CELEBRATED BROOKLYN PIE SHOP

 

“The Four & Twenty Blackbirds Pie Book: Uncommon Recipes from the Celebrated Brooklyn Pie Shop,” by the marvelous baking sisters, Emily Elsen and Melissa Elsen, is a radical new spin on pie.

 

Their renowned Brooklyn shop and cafe became popular fast with new pie-in-the sky-ideas (in a good way), such as Salted Caramel Apple, Green Chili Chocolate, Black Currant Lemon Chiffon, and Salty Honey.

There are 90 gorgeous full color photos, by Gentl & Hyers, and 80 amazing recipes. Of course the Elsen’s have their own spin on pie-making techniques too, which they share in detail.

 

"The pies we tasted from Four & Twenty Blackbirds were so satisfying and deliriously delicious that they left every other pie we sampled in the dust" --Danny Meyer, CEO, Union Square Hospitality Group.

 

Grand Central Life & Style (2013)

3. PIE!: 100 GORGEOUSLY GLORIOUS RECIPES

 

“Pie! 100 Gorgeously Glorious Recipes (100 Great Recipes) ’” by Genevieve Taylor, is aptly named. Her recipes are both gorgeous and glorious. Taylor shows off her mastery of the classics as well as her spot-on creativity.

 

Get your forks ready for beautiful savory and sweet pies. The textures, shapes, and flavors will wow any pie lover. And, by the way, the photos live up to the book title too, with photography by Mike Cooper.

 

Pie! is the fourth book in a series that began with the bestselling Mince!, which won the World Gourmand Award for 'Best UK Single Subject Cookbook.'

 

Absolute Press (2014)

4. VINTAGE PIES: CLASSIC AMERICAN PIES FOR TODAY’S HOME BAKER

 

The very idea of vintage pies sounds especially delectable. “Vintage Pies: Classic American Pies for Today's Home Baker ,” by Anne Collins, is a collection of old-fashioned recipes, from centuries past.

 

Check out pies that, unfortunately, you won’t find being served very often these days, such as Wet Bottom Shoo Fly Pie, transparent Butternut Maple Pie, cakelike Quakertown Pie; custardy Union Pie; dainty Cherry Cream Pie, and Crabapple Pie. And enjoy a sweet memory.

 

Countryman Press (2014)

 

5. PAUL HOLLYWOOD’S PIES AND PUDS

 

“Paul Hollywood's Pies and Puds ,” by Paul Hollywood, has recipes for some of the heartiest pies around. His Steak & Ale Pie, Luxury Fish Pie, Pork Apple Cider Pie, and Chilli Beef Cornbread Pie, are just some that can keep you warm and happy this winter.

 

Even Hollywood’s sweet pies are hearty, like his Spiced Plum Pizza Pie, his Apple and Wensleydale Pie, and his Yorkshire Curd Tart.

 

Paul Hollywood is a British celebrity chef best known for his role as a judge on The Great British Bake Off. He started out at his father’s bakery as a teenager, he has worked as Head Baker at exclusive hotels, and he went on to launch The Paul Hollywood Artisan Bread Company, which now supplies Harrods among others.

 

Bloomsbury USA (2014)

 

6. FRUITFUL: FOUR SEASONS OF FRESH FRUIT RECIPES.

 

“Fruitful: Four Seasons of Fresh Fruit Recipes ,” by Brian Nicholson and Sarah Huck, isn’t only about pies, but there are lots of great pies, as you will see.

 

Every chapter is devoted to specifcally seasonal produce as grown and harvested by the fabulous Red Jacket Orchards, in New York State. Check out their beautiful approach to rhubarb, strawberries, apples, plums, apricots, peaches, quinces, pears, and more.

 

Twenty-five of the recipes are from star chefs who are Red Jacket’s devoted customers, including recipes from Dan Barber, Jonathan Waxman, Karen DeMasco, and Melissa Clark.

 

Fruitful is illustrated with gorgeous full-color photography throughout.

 

Running Press (2014)

 

7. FIRST PRIZE PIES: SHOO-FLY, CANDY APPLE, AND OTHER DELICIOUSLY INVENTIVE PIES FOR EVERY WEEK OF THE YEAR (AND MORE)

 

“First Prize Pies: Shoo-Fly, Candy Apple, and Other Deliciously Inventive Pies for Every Week of the Year (and More) ,” by Allison Kave, will be a prized pie go-to in your kitchen. Kave has won a heaping pile of first prize ribbons and the book is filled with beautiful photos by Tina Rupp, so you are in for a treat!

 

Kave has crust secrets you’ll be glad to learn. She’s got flaky totally figured out. And her fillings… well… just surrender.

 

Check out her fabulous flavors, such as Bourbon Ginger Pecan pie, Root Beer Float Pie, and shamefully addictive Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Pie. Or indulge in Chocolate Lavender Teatime Pie or Candy Apple Pie and you’ll see what a beautiful piemaker Kave really is.

 

Allison Kave is the founder of the made-to-order First Prize Pies pie shop on the Lower East Side. In 2012 she and partner Keavy Blueher opened Butter & Scotch, a dessert and cocktail business based in Brooklyn. She has taught pie making at the French Culinary Institute and the James Beard Institute.

 

Stewart, Tabori & Chang (2014)

 

 

8. ALEXIS ROCKMAN: DRAWINGS FROM LIFE OF PI

 

“Alexis Rockman: Drawings from Life of Pi,” by Alexis Rockman, is a collection of more than 60 of his watercolor drawings used to develop the fantastical, imaginary world of Life of Pi, the award winning 2012 film directed by Ang Lee.

 

This publication accompanies The Drawing Center's exhibition, providing a unique opportunity to explore the relationship between visual art--specifically drawing--and commercial filmmaking.

 

The Drawing Center (2014)

 

9. PI IN THE SKY

 

“Pi in the Sky ,” by Wendy Mass, is a super-fun romp with Joss, the seventh son of the Supreme Overlord of the Universe. Despite his lofty genes, his job in life is simply to deliver pies. How boring.

 

But alas,  these pies are actually filled with the juicy secrets of the universe. Joss meets up with a more important job however, he heas to bring the Earth back into existance after it suddenly disappears. The secrets come in handy.

 

An Earth-girl, named Annika, helps Joss out and life becomes sweet again.

 

This marvelous tale is well-spun, and it comes with the added benfit of teaching kids a bit of science, with its speculation about alternate universes, dark matter, and quantum physics.

 

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (2013)

10. TIBETAN PEACH PIE: A TRUE ACCOUNT OF AN IMAGINATIVE LIFE

 

“Tibetan Peach Pie: A True Account of an Imaginative Life ,” by internationally best-selling novelist, Tom Robbins, is a kaleidoscopic memoir of his wild life and times, both at home and around the globe.

 

Robbins is known for his delightfully quirky novels, including Still Life With Woodpecker, Jitterbug Perfume, and Fierce Invalids Home From Hot Climates, and of course his most famous Even Cowgirls Get the Blues.  So he must have led a delightfully quirky life so far, right?

 

In Tibetan Peach Pie, Robbins shares his unconventional life. He grew up in Appalachia and managed to not only break out of those challenging circumstances, but to go far. His life unfurls as a poet-interruptus, an air force weatherman, a radio dj, an art-critic, a psychedelic journeyman, a world-famous novelist, and a counter-culture hero.

 

Robbins shares it all  in the full on force of Tibetan Peach Pie.

 

Ecco (2014)

 

Read more about Beautiful Pie, it relates to Arts/Design, Nature/Science, Food/Drink, Place/Time, Mind/Body, and Soul/Impact.

 

Enter this week’s BN Competition. Our theme this week is Beautiful Pie. Send in your images and ideas. Deadline is 03.16.14.

 

PHOTO CREDITS

 

1. Courtesy of Quarry Spoon. Cherry pie.

2. Courtesy of Race Point Publishing. Ms. American Pie.

3. Courtesy of Grand Central Life & Style. The Four & Twenty Blackbirds Pie Book.

4. Courtesy of Nothing in the house. Cranberry sage pie.

5. Courtesy of Absolute Press. 100 Gorgeously Glorious Recipes.

6. Courtesy of Countryman Press. Vintage Pies.

7. Courtesy of Bloomsbury USA. Paul Hollywood’s Pies and Puds.

8. Courtesy of Running Press. Fruitful: Four Seasons of Fresh Fruit Recipes.

9. Courtesy of Stewart, Tabori & Chang. First Prize Pies.

10. Courtesy of The Drawing Center. Alexis Rockman: Drawings from Life of Pi.

11. Courtesy of Little, Brown Books for Readers. Pi in the Sky.

12. Courtesy of Ecco. Tibetan Peach Pie.