Teeny's Tour of Pie

Book excerpt: Teeny Lamothe is a young woman on a mission—and the mission is pie. Charming, passionate, determined, Teeny traveled America to work with the country's best bakers and learn their techniques, tricks, and wisdom. Now she shares the fruits of her apprenticeship—the crumbs and crusts of her crusade—in Teeny’s Tour of Pie, a delectable journey into total pie immersion. Here are more than 55 pies, sweet and savory, plus a complete crust primer, and all of it seasoned throughout with Teeny’s humor and inspiration. There are fruit pies: Strawberry Rhubarb Pie, Lemony Blueberry Crumb Pie, Rosemary-Infused Caramel Apple Pie. Cream pies: Zested Lime Curd Pie, French Silk Pie. Traditional pies—Sweet Potato Pie, Shoofly Pie, Chess Pie—and unexpected pies—Peanut Butter Brownie Pie with a Pretzel Crust, Bourbon Bacon Pecan Pie. And savory pies, too, like Thanksgiving Dinner Pie with a Stuffing Crumble. Teeny is a gifted baker and writer who demystifies every step. She explains why to add vodka to the pie crust; what to do when the dough is sticky or tears; how to cut and weave a lattice topping. There are the 5 Commandments of Crust and more than 10 no-fail crust recipes, even including one gluten-free. Plus she shows how to make “teeny” pies—her specialty, using a 5-inch pie pan—from the recipes. Teeny’s Tour of Pie captures both the timeless, homespun appeal of pie and its very timely popularity, right down to the “bakery box” cover with its embossed “string,” flaps, and spot-laminated “tape.” Includes profiles of pie-makers, personal stories, and gorgeous full-color beauty shots and step-by-step photographs.