Synopses & Reviews
Apple pie. Pumpkin pie. Shepherds pie. Chicken potpie. Sweet or savory, pies are beloved; everyone has a favorite. Yet despite its widespread appeal there has never been a book devoted to this humble dish—until now.
Janet Clarkson in Pie illustrates how what was once a purely pragmatic dish of thick layers of dough has grown into an esteemed creation of culinary art. There is as much debate about how to perfect the ideal, flaky pastry crust as there is about the very definition of a pie: Must it have a top and bottom crust? Is a pasty a pie? In flavorful detail, Clarkson celebrates the pie in all its variations. She touches pon the pies commercial applications, nutritional value, and cultural significance; and she examines its international variations, from Britains pork pie and Australia and New Zealands endless varieties of meat pie to the Russian kurnik and good old-fashioned American apple pie.
This delectable salute to the many pies enjoyed the world over will satisfy the appetites of all readers hungry for culinary history and curious about the many varieties of this delightful food, and it just might inspire them to don aprons and head for the stove.
About the Author
Janet Clarkson is a lecturer in the School of Medicine at the University of Queensland, Brisbane. She was written widely on culinary history.
Table of Contents
Prologue: Preliminary Observations on Pie1. A Brief History of Pie2. The Universal Appeal of Pie3. Pies by Design4. Filling Stuff5. Special Occasion Pies6. Around the World with Pie7. Imaginary PiesEpilogue: The Future of Pie RecipesSelect BibliographyWebsites and Associations