I Love Pies and Tarts

by Nancy Kershner

Overview

I Love Pies and Tarts is a definitive guide to creating luscious, modern, one-dish desserts, and a few entrees, in the time-honored traditions of American pie making. The recipes in this book range from the rustic pies of the Pennsylvania Dutch countryside, Amish Vanilla Pie and Apple Dumplings, to the sophisticated and modern European-inspired tarts, Apricot-Frangipane Tart and Lemon Curd Tartlets.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781589792494
Publisher:	Taylor Trade Publishing
Publication date:	08/08/2005
Pages:	160
Product dimensions:	7.92(w) x 7.96(h) x 0.35(d)

About the Author

After eight years of cooking in New York City, I have accumulated more than 13 stars from The New York Times as an Executive Pastry Chef. Best known for my menus at the three-star restaurants Town and Union Pacific, I have experienced the emergence of a new American cooking first hand. New American cuisine remains true to the French classical roots in which it was born and the native flavors that are essentially American, yet gathers influence from cuisines around the globe. In addition to my work in these top kitchens, I have also created numerous classic French and Italian menus, such as the menus of the two-star restaurants Tuscan and The Brasserie.Starting my career as a breakfast cook, I worked my way around the kitchen for many years. Before becoming a chef, I worked with several great chefs including two years with Daniel Boulud and Francois Payard at the restaurant Daniel, as well as cooking for four years with Christian Bertrand, a Maitre de Cuisinier de France, formerly of Lutece. First really coming to the attention of the press in New York in 2000, I made a splash with my signature chocolate beignets at The Brasserie. Critical acclaim followed the next year in May 2001, when Town received three stars from the New York Times' William Grimes. While remaining very complimentary on my new take on the traditional cheese course, the desserts blew him away. "This is the kind of dessert that can silence a table," he claimed. "It's magic." Recently, I was a consultant for Spirit Media and the NBC television show The Restaurant.

Table of Contents

	Introduction	vi
	Getting Started	1
	All-American Fruit Pies	13
	Traditional Favorites	31
	Chocolate Pies	53
	Rustic Desserts	71
	Sophisticated Tarts	91
	Savory Pies	107
	Index	117

Editorial Reviews

Pie making does take practice and I Love Pies and Tarts by Nancy Kershner is a good place to start...With all these options, none of us will have to keep pie (or tart) making just for the holidays.

Cookbook Digest - Tricia Dietz

An unabashed enthusiasm for pie and all its crusty cousins-crostata, tart, crisp, cobbler-sweetens this cheerful, accessible collection of recipes by Kershner, best known for her desserts at the New York restaurants Town and Union Pacific. An expert in the often-perplexing world of dough making, Kershner is also a judicious tutor. Her first chapter breaks down the delicate science of handling gluten and includes the formulas for several basic crusts. These serve as the foundation for the recipes that follow, where fillings range from fruit, nuts and chocolate to onion, spinach and cheese. Kershner devotes considerable attention to traditional, regional American classics: apple and peach pies, Key Lime Pie, Southern-style Bourbon Pecan Pie, and other diner counter goodies. She supplements these with less predictable alternatives like dense Walnut Caramel Tart and elegant Lemon Tartlets. For more casual bakers, a chapter on rustic desserts features free-form Mixed Berry Turnovers and Pennsylvania Dutch Apple Dumplings. The instructions are easy to follow and the text is particularly encouraging for beginners. Helpful tips explain when frozen blueberries can be used instead of fresh and how to make your own buttermilk. Leaving out complicated techniques, Kershner teaches pie making at a basic level, keeping her book as simple as her subject. (Oct.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

In her first book on sweet and savory pies and tarts, executive pastry chef Kershner provides aspiring bakers with a good introduction to the world of the quintessential American dessert. This slender volume includes 50 recipes for pie-from fruit to chocolate fillings, and from rustic to sophisticated presentations-along with recipes for six kinds of crusts. Most of the recipes are classics that can be readily found elsewhere, such as apple, peach, and lemon meringue pies, but there are some standouts that merit attention: Raspberry Custard Pie, Frozen Peanut Butter Mousse Pie, and Cheddar Cheese Corn Pie could easily fit into a baker's standard repertoire. Instructions are brief and easy to follow. This title will encourage beginners, but serious pie bakers will want to explore other works, e.g., Rose Levy Beranbaum's encyclopedic The Pie and Pastry Bible. An optional purchase.-Pauline Baughman, Multnomah Cty. Lib., Portland, OR Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

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