Joy of Cooking: All About Pies and Tarts

Part of the "All About" sequence, adapted from the long-running Joy of Cooking cookbook series, this volume delivers everything a would-be baker might want to learn about how to make a covered fruit pie, a single-crust fruit pie, a cream or chiffon pie or a savory pie or tart. The desserts are uniformly tempting-who could resist a Concord Grape Pie or a Chocolate-Glazed Caramel Tart? - and they're complemented with luscious-looking photographs. The recipes themselves are easy to follow and supported by a detailed first chapter that explains the rudiments of choosing and baking crusts. While most of the pies and tarts included are firmly traditional (you'll find no kiwis or bitter oranges in this cookbook), the recipes sound so delicious, and the instructions are so lucid and careful, that even a baking neophyte will be encouraged to give pies a try.