The Perfect Pie: More Than 125 All-Time Favorite Pies & Tarts

I have only tried the Lemon Meringue recipe but it is to die for--and I'm not even Lemon Meringue pie fan! She included with it the No-Fail Meringue recipe, which is great--as long as you don't overbeat the meringue like I did the first time. She also included Ruth Lawrence's Blackberry Pie recipe, which is in her other pie book. Don't try any other--it's marvelous! She adds a lot of variations, which can be a bit confusing. Some of them should have been recipes on their own. There are no photos, so some people will never like this book. There are so many good-looking recipes, I could be kept busy making a pie most every day! I have favorites from other sources, so I can't say this book is perfect, but it's pretty darn good and worth having if you love to bake pies.

Each section provides a detailed tutorial followed by a variety of recipes. There are a wide number of crusts and fillings available to suit any need or occasion.

I had never made a pie before reading this book, but I was interested, so I picked up a copy. It has a lot of good recipes and advice for the price, and the sections in the beginning about the different ingredients and their roles in pie fillings and crusts were very helpful. I don't like just following the steps in a recipe. I really like to know what's going on in the bowl/pan, and her details really helped me get a feel for how the process of making a pie should work.

IF IT HAS A CRUST AND YOU CALL IT DESSERT, SUSAN G. PURDY PRESENTS IT TO YOU IN THIS COOK BOOK. SHE DISPLAYS HER ENCYCLOPEDIC KNOWLEDGE ABOUT PIES IN LOGICAL PIE-MAKING ORDER AND USES A FRIENDLY CONVERSATIONAL TONE THROUGHOUT THE BOOK. FROM CRUSTS TO GLAZES TO GREEN TOMATOE OR LEMON MERINGUE PIE, YOU WANT MAKE IT!