Friday Food Reads - Pie Camp

The next book in our Friday Food Reads series is Pie Camp from Kate McDermott. Pie making is an art form that requires patience and skill. The good news? Once you have the basics down, it’s then time to get creative! You can mix up crust types, fillings, and toppings with ease using her "master" recipes.

About The Author

For those that aren't familiar, Kate McDermott use to run a weekend pie baking school for bakers called Pie Camp. You would spend a weekend learning to make pies, both savory and sweet, and then you get to explore the city in your free time. I hope I have a chance to book one of the weekends this coming year. Let's see, travel to a beautiful city, breakfast, lunch, and dinner around pies and a bunch of new friends; it has everything a gal could want! In the meantime, I'm considering this my virtual pie camp while travel is still restricted.

Pie skills are what Kate is known for. Before this book, she wrote Art of the Pie. Another great book, for aspiring pie makers. Kate believes you don't need to know all that much to make a great pie. And you know what, she is correct!

Recipe For Success

This book does a great job of giving you the essential pie tools and then teaches readers how to make pies. It goes into ingredients for successful pies, which is an art that can be shared with family members too! She's also a fan of investing in high-quality cooking equipment so you have something nice to pass down through generations as well as taking care of it properly so it lasts long enough. This cookbook provides "master recipes" where users are able to mix or match different recipes together depending on their preferences (or what they're making). There are even some gluten-free recipes.

How The Book Is Broken Down

The book contains just a few chapters. Dough, fruity pies, creamy pies, and kitchen cupboard pies are the main categories. Each chapter is filled with multiple master recipes making it easy to start with basics and go any direction you want to take your pie.

Chocolate Mousse Chiffon Pie - A Pie Camp Master Recipe

The first recipe we made from this book did not disappoint. It turned out to be one of our favorite recipes!

This is a "master" recipe; meaning there are six different variations you can make with just minor tweaks here or there. We're really excited about all these new dessert possibilities that come along with it too! What's that saying? Easy as pie!

Recipes From The Master

• Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Chiffon Pie
• Mocha Mousse Chiffon Pie
• Chocolate Ginger Mousse Chiffon Pie
• Chocolate Coconut Pistachio Mousse Chiffon Pie
• Spicy Hot Chocolate Chiffon Mousse Pie
• Double Chocolate Banana Mousse Chiffon Pie

Mixed Berry Slump From Pie Camp

The second recipe we made was a mixed berry slump. Seasoned fruit, placed in a skillet and topped with biscuit dough. After that, you just bake it in the oven.

This recipe was simple and delicious. Whenever I see plops of biscuits I know it's going to be great comfort food. Now when I say simple, I mean simple. Heat the fruit and sugar up in a pan, make the dough and form it into 8 pieces, lay it on the fruit, and bake in the oven. Not only did I love this for an evening dessert, I really liked it the next day with my coffee.

Should You Buy Pie Camp?

So with all that, should you buy the book? I'd say yes. The book is packed with recipes that will have you cooking for hours. There is something for everyone, with recipes that range from beginner to advanced. With many beautiful photographs of the creations and easy-to-follow instructions throughout this cookbook, it would be a crime not to buy it!

Other Friday Food Reads

I'd recommend this book to anyone who is interested in baking or happens to be looking for new recipes. The two recipes that we have shared are just a small taste of the many delicious dishes inside! In conclusion, we hope you enjoyed our write-up on the cookbook and maybe even find another favorite recipe from it. If not, don't forget to check out some of our other Friday Food Reads.

• Joy The Bakers, Peanut Butter Cream Pie
• Friday Food Reads - 100 Cookies
• Friday Food Reads - The Good Book of Southern Baking
• Dessert Person - A Cookbook Review

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