Martha Stewart's Pies & Tarts (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This is the third in Stewart's Food & Entertaining series, following Entertaining and Hors d'Oeuvres, written in the informal, conversational style that attracts her readers and may assure them they can achieve the results displayed in Galton's photos. The author is a professional caterer and columnist for House Beautiful, and the elegant creations here bespeak learned skills, inventiveness and enthusiasm. Perfectly reproduced color pictures focus on pies, tarts and tartlets made from fruits (including the citrus types), berries, nuts, chocolate, vegetables. These ingredients are elaborately decorated, some baked in heart-shaped or other unconventional pans, most as rich as Croesus and a treat for the eyes as well as the palate. Stewart's instructions are complete, unmistakably clear and illustrated each step of the way. Still, a kitchen neophyte would probably be frustrated by attempts to make the Concord grape pie, garnished by a grape cluster, leaves and tendrilsall made of pastry; or a swirling, white-and-dark chocolate masterpiece surrounded by hand-fashioned chocolate leaves. The book is outstanding, and it should appeal strongly to people experienced in the art of fine cooking. December 2
Copyright 1985 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description

With more than 100 original recipes, this may be the most inspiring dessert cookbook ever published. Martha's recipes for such delights as Tartan Rhubarb Pie or Walnut Tartlets with Chocolate Lace are accompanied by creative ideas for spectacular presentation and stunning full-color photographs. More than 160 full-color photographs.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Clarkson Potter (May 30, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0517589532
• ISBN-13: 978-0517589533
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #326,649 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I've got a long-term relationship with this book, August 30, 2000

By	Hilde Kaiser (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews

I'm a little bit of an oddball in that I've been making pies and tarts since I was in High School, and basically learned how through this book. The basic recipes for pie and tart crusts and glazes, found at the back of the book with step-by-step illustrations, have become indispensable favorites of mine. Martha is a big advocate of using a food processor to ensure that chilled ingredients stay that way, ensuring a tender, flaky crust that's fast and reliable, and I couldn't agree more, especially if, like me, you're working in an unairconditioned kitchen. The recipes for pastry cream and lemon curd are superb. Rather than using specific recipes for tarts, I usually bake one of the crusts (pate brisee, pate sucree or sucree extra or nut), use the recipe for pastry cream found in the recipe for the blackberry tart, and add my own fresh fruit and one of the glazes. Among the individual recipes, the apple raisin pie is a favorite I make every Thanksgiving, the Tarte Tatin is great, and I especially appreciate the recipes using Italian Prune or Friar plums, available in late August / September, my favorite fruit for pies and tarts. I just ate a Pear Frangipane tartlet this weekend, and was pleased to discover there was a recipe for it in this book, and look forward to making my own. One of my only complaints is that the recipes seemingly all use different-sized and shaped pie and tart tins, with no easy formulas for converting recipes to fit what you're using. Also, there's no recipe for a classic pecan pie. However, this book is a classic Martha Stewart effort, with the beautiful photographs and consistently high standards that go with that; it certainly has stood the test of time in my kitchen.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars solid and inspirational, April 16, 1999

By A Customer

Boy, to read some of the more negative reviews, it sounds like no one has any common sense when it comes to substituting ingredients. Come on, if something calls for winter banana apples and you don't have them, just use a variety you have access to! Same with the fraises, just use strawberries, same with Meyer lemons, etc. This book is good because it is so well illustrated and you have an idea of what your creation ought to look like, it is good because it provides several examples of what to do with each fruit where appropriate, and the pastry recipes and glazes work. The fact that she has an entire section devoted to apples is a good sign and should inspire bakers rather than freak them out. If you're unsure in the kitchen, DON'T start with pies and tarts, stick to cookies and quick breads until you have those mastered. If something looks complicated, either don't attempt it or make it less complicated and omit the chocolate leaves or roses, don't braid the edging on the crust, just do what is comfortable. Just because Martha Stewart has made her life out of domesticity doesn't mean she has an exclusionary agenda and that this book is merely an example of someone with endless means and access to ingredients. If that's how you feel don't buy her books only to criticize them.

60 of 74 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars YUCK!, April 29, 2000

By A Customer

Well, the illustrations in this book are beautiful and Martha's pie crust, as well as her lemon curd, are absolutely the best, but the pies and tarts in this book are simply the worst I've ever tasted! Really, I've tasted kindergarten paste that had more flavor than these recipes. As a seasoned baker, I do know how to substitute ingredients and add more spice, but why should anyone have to? And what about those who can't? After all, the book is not titled, Martha Stewart's Exotic Pies and Tarts for the Experienced Baker Only, however, it should be. What good is a book if most people really can't use it? Yes, I can make all those lovely grape clusters, leaves and tendrils that adorn Martha's Concord Grape Pie, but I think most people are really looking for something a little more basic. Okay, final analysis: if you're looking for the out-of-the-ordinary (and the tasteless) then buy this book. If you just want some great pie and tart recipes, try The Pie and Pastry Bible. You won't go wrong there.