Pie School: Lessons in Fruit, Flour & Butter

by Kate Lebo

Pie baking has never been easier with this gorgeous dessert cookbook full of swoon-worthy recipes and expert advice on baking the perfect pie crust.Here are recipes for fifty perfect pies, including apple (of course), five ways with rhubarb, lemon chiffon, several blueberry pie variations, galettes, and more.Learn the tricks to making enviable baked goods and gluten-free crust while enjoying Kate Lebo's wonderfully humorous, thoughtful, and encouraging voice. In addition to recipes, Lebo invites readers to ruminate on the social history, the meaning, and the place of pie in the pantheon of favorite foods. When you have mastered the art, science and magic of creating the perfect pie in Pie School, everyone will want to be your friend.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Nonfiction, Food

335 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Kate Lebo's first collection of nonfiction, The Book of Difficult Fruit, was published by FSG and Picador in April 2021. She is the author of the cookbook Pie School (Sasquatch Books), the poetry chapbook Seven Prayers to Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Entre Rios Books), and co-editor with Samuel Ligon of Pie & Whiskey: Writers Under the Influence of Butter and Booze (Sasquatch Books). Her essay about listening through hearing loss, “The Loudproof Room,” originally published in New England Review, was anthologized in Best American Essays 2015.

Her poems and essays have appeared in This is the Place: Women Writing About Home, Ghosts of Seattle Past, Best New Poets, Gettysburg Review, Willow Springs, Moss, Catapult, and Poetry Northwest, among other places.

Through the Center for Washington Cultural Traditions she is an apprenticed cheesemaker to Lora Lea Misterly of Quillisascut Farm. She lives in Spokane, Washington.

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kate Lebo is a poet, and it shows in this lyrical, yet practical cookbook.

The book starts with pie making and crust basics, and then is divided by different categories of fruit pies, winter pies, for when good fresh fruit isn't available (banana cream pie, anyone?) and chiffon pies. I'm a fruit pie baker, so I probably won't delve into those last two sections (and the uncooked eggs--with proper warnings from Lebo--make the chiffon pies a little scary). I'm intrigued by some of the interesting combinations in the fruit pies, and I know I'll be making her Plum Thyme pie next summer when our Italian plum tree is overloaded with fruit.

In addition to thorough recipes, this book is sprinkled with mini-essays about pie, beautifully written and often heart-warming, especially the last one. If you love to make pie, or you would like to learn how, this is the book for you.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love cookbooks, and I love to cook and bake. Pies are my downfall though. I have never been able to make a good pie crust. So I bought this for a good basic guide to pie making. I have yet to try out the crust recipes, but it looks promising. There are also a lot of interesting pie filling recipes, especially for various fruit combinations. In some ways it seems a bit repetitious, but that is probably necessary for using it as an actual cookbook if you don't want to have to flip back and forth while making a particular recipe.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviews Written by
Jill Clardy "So many books, so little time...." RSS Feed (Redwood City, CA USA)
(VINE VOICE) (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)


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Norpro 3077 Wooden Pastry and Pizza Roller

Norpro 3077 Wooden Pastry and Pizza Roller
Price: $5.98

14 used & new from $4.00




5.0 out of 5 stars Very Useful for Homemade Pizza Dough, February 7, 2015

This review is from: Norpro 3077 Wooden Pastry and Pizza Roller (Kitchen)

I have been perfecting my pizza techniques for several years, and one of the first things I learned was to NOT use the rolling pin on homemade dough since it squashes out all of the air from your dough. However, sometimes the dough just won't cooperate when I'm trying to shape it by hand. this when this roller comes in handy. I can use it to gently work the dough from the center to the edges, stretching it out while leaving a nice raised edge. I usually just use the wider end, but sometimes the narrower end is needed when I'm just working the edges of the pizza dough. The big rolling pin remains safely on the shelf and my pizzas turn out tender and bubbly - just the way I like them !

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Wild

Wild
DVD
Price: $13.99




5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Portrayal of the Best Selling Book - And a Great Story Too !, February 7, 2015

This review is from: Wild (Amazon Instant Video)

I read the book about 18 months ago and found it to be a very compelling and engaging story, but couldn't really imagine Reese Witherspoon in the role. Though she has proven her merit as a serious actress over and over, she seemed too girly and feminine to take on this role in which the author revealed all of her warts and imperfections and past errors with blunt honesty. I'm glad to say I was wrong about Reese. She really inhabited the role, from the gruesome scenes of lost toenails, bruises and trudging for 2 days in sandals after she lost her boots, to the flashbacks of drug-induced days in flophouses. No soft soap was applied to the plot of the book and no sordid detail was omitted.

I was also concerned about how engaging the screenplay could be with just one main character occupying 90+% of the plot. The solitary days of trudging on the Pacific Crest Trail were interspersed with many flashbacks where Cheryl's past life is revealed - everything that lead up to her decision to attempt the PCT alone and relatively unprepared. That, combined with the occasional through hikers and other menacing characters that she met along the way, keeps the plot from being too repetitive.

I loved Laura Dern in the role as Cheryl's deceased mom. Her fun-loving quirkiness and devotion to her small family as a single mom, made it easy to see how her loss had devastated Cheryl to the point that her life went into a tailspin. There are some powerful scenes between these two actresses.

Though both the book and film can be viewed as documentaries about what NOT to do to prepare for hiking the PCT, she does manage to complete 1,100 miles unharmed and with the strength and resolve to get on with her life in a more productive and healthy fashion. It's a classic journey of healing and self forgiveness, something we can all relate to.

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Farewell, My Queen

Farewell, My Queen
DVD ~ Léa Seydoux
Price: $13.99

21 used & new from $10.78




4.0 out of 5 stars Sumptuous Setting and Costumes, But Won't Advance Your Understanding of History, February 7, 2015

This review is from: Farewell, My Queen (DVD)

The film concentrates on the drama of the few days before the fall of Versailles and the last days of Marie Antoinette's court. The sumptuous costumes, wigs and sets are dazzling, with each scene carefully constructed and lit. You could photograph a still image of many scenes and hang them on the wall as fine art. Some of the filming was actually done at Versailles. Unfortunately, the need to concentrate carefully on the English subtitles sometimes draws your eye away from these gorgeous scenes. I had to occasionally replay a scene because I had been concentrating on the visuals rather than reading the subtitle and had missed some critical dialogue.

The plot is primarily centered around the perspective of a young servant to the court, the queen's official reader, named Sidonie Laborde and played by Léa Seydoux. Sidonie is infatuated with the queen and exists to serve her. She is often seen running through the long corridors of the palace when she is summoned by the queen to read to her. The queen confides in her of her deep love for Duchess Gabrielle de Polignac, which inspires a bit of jealousy in Sidonie.

The queen, played by Diane Kruger, is gorgeous and spoiled and demands constant attention from her court, but is not completely unsympathetic. Her fear and anguish about the uprising outside the gates is palpable, though she seems to have no idea what to do about it. She instructs her staff to pack her precious belongings (many trunks full) to flee to the country, but at the last minute the king decides they will stay. There are very few scenes between the queen and king, so you do not get a sense of their relationship.

Of course, everyone knows how the story turns out, so there is no suspense in that regard, but the film unfortunately fails to make you care about any of the characters to any great extent. We come to care a bit about Sidonie, who is in nearly every scene, but we are not really able to experience her fear or understand her motivations.

The film does a good job of portraying the chaos and disorganization of the court at the end, but almost totally ignores the historical context of the event. Nevertheless, taken on its own as a brief glimpse behind the palace walls during a critical juncture in French history, the film is worth watching, if only for the sumptuous settings and costumes.

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The Dog Who Saved Me: A Novel

The Dog Who Saved Me: A Novel
by Susan Wilson
Edition: Hardcover
Price: $19.25




1 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Heartwarming Story of a Man and Two Dogs, February 6, 2015

This review is from: The Dog Who Saved Me: A Novel (Hardcover)

Vine Customer Review of Free Product (What's this?)

It's been a long time since I finished a novel, closed the cover and then just sat there thinking about what a wonderful and rewarding experience I had enjoyed during the few days that it took to read it. Cooper Harrison has returned to his small home town, Harmony Farms, Massachusetts (near Boston) to take the position as animal control officer. Though he had vowed to leave this place and never return, his career as a K-9 officer in Boston had ended after a horrific accident and the loss of his canine partner, Argos in which Cooper was emotionally and physically wounded. His marriage has also ended after his wife could no longer tolerate his moping and inability to move on. He hopes this temporary 1-year job will allow him to get some perspective and get better.

Cooper soon falls into the rhythm of small town animal control, chasing donkeys, finding lost dogs, and looking out for the welfare of all. He tries to avoid his father, formerly the town drunk who is now over 3-years sober. His brother Jimmy, a no-good convict recently released from prison, is also someone he'd rather not see. However, in a small town their paths inevitably cross and all the old wounds are re-opened.

The backstory of the death of Cooper's partner Argos is told gradually through short flashbacks, and when the whole truth of the episode in which Argos was killed is revealed, it is an emotional revelation. Likewise, the stories of Cooper's youth in the town as well as the manner in which his mother died, are introduced into the plot in small doses. Running in parallel with the retelling of Cooper's past is the present in which he has captured and rehabilitated an abused yellow Lab and is trying to track down the person who abused the dog. He also meets a woman, Natalie, running a nearby horse rescue farm, and their friendship grows slowly because she is also grieving the recent death of her husband.

The plot device of interspersing current action with a gradual retelling of the past can be annoying in some books, however in this novel it really works. By the end of the novel, you understand why Cooper is suffering, and how he works his way back to healing and forgiveness.

It's a lovely story, skillfully told, and sure to be enjoyable regardless of whether you're a dog lover.

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Ren Keep Young and Beautiful Instant Firming Beauty Shot 30ml

Ren Keep Young and Beautiful Instant Firming Beauty Shot 30ml
Offered by Mybeautystore
Price: $85.00




4.0 out of 5 stars Dries & Tightens the Skin - Temporarily, February 4, 2015

This review is from: Ren Keep Young and Beautiful Instant Firming Beauty Shot 30ml (Misc.)

I've been using the "Instant Firming Beauty Shot" for several weeks, but am still a bit ambivalent about its efficacy. It is a pleasantly scented clear gel which goes smoothly onto the skin and dries almost immediately, leaving a very tight dry feeling on the face. As soon as it dries, I apply my usual moisturizer. I did notice that I need to be careful where the gel is applied. I wiped some over my eyebrows accidentally one day and had dandruff-like flakes there the following day - it really does dry out your skin.

After using the gel, there appears to be a faint softening of the fine lines on my face but no apparent improvement in the larger lines and wrinkles. At my age, I certainly don't expect miracles! The instructions indicate that you should reapply over moisturizer or makeup throughout the day as needed, though I think carrying the glass jar with its glass eyedropper in your purse could be more trouble than its worth.

Comment Comments (2) | Permalink | Most recent comment: Feb 12, 2015 5:21 PM PST





Sleeping Beauties: Newborns in Dreamland

Sleeping Beauties: Newborns in Dreamland
by Tracy Raver
Edition: Hardcover
Price: $22.47

108 used & new from $1.13




5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning Images of Beautifully Sleeping Newborns, February 3, 2015

This review is from: Sleeping Beauties: Newborns in Dreamland (Hardcover)

This large format coffee-table sizes book includes more than 50 images of adorable, sleeping newborn babies photographed by accomplished professionals Tracy Raver and Kelley Ryden. The images feature a variety of props and hats and wraps and will no doubt be the inspiration for many others who aspire to be newborn photographers.

The portraits celebrate the perfection and peacefulness of a sleeping infant, a phase which is all too short. In fact, most newborn photographers strive to capture the babies in their first 10 days of life. The images are interspersed with pages including lovely quotes about infancy, such as "When you have children yourself, you begin to understand what you owe your parents." - Japanese Proverb

The book is a visual treat, and with each turn of the pages you will be saying "aww" or "this is my favorite one". In fact, it would be impossible to choose a favorite - they're all so stunning !

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Retreez Tartan Plaid Styles Woven Microfiber Pre-tied Boy's Bow Tie - Blue - 6 - 18 months

Retreez Tartan Plaid Styles Woven Microfiber Pre-tied Boy's Bow Tie - Blue - 6 - 18 months
Offered by Retreez USA
Price: $25.99




1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Adorable and Well Made, February 3, 2015

Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Retreez Tartan Plaid Styles Woven Microfiber Pre-tied Boy's Bow Tie (Apparel)

I purchased this tiny plaid blue bow tie to use on a newborn baby boy for a photography shoot. The tie fit perfectly and looked adorable. He was bare from the waist up and the color complemented his skin tones nicely. I actually didn't have to fasten it around his neck since he was asleep on his back at that moment and I didn't want to disrupt him. I plan to buy more in different colors for future photography sessions.

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Pie School: Lessons in Fruit, Flour & Butter

Pie School: Lessons in Fruit, Flour & Butter
by Kate Lebo
Edition: Paperback
Price: $18.90

90 used & new from $11.85




2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars You Will Never Buy a Premade Piecrust Again !, February 2, 2015

This review is from: Pie School: Lessons in Fruit, Flour & Butter (Paperback)

Pie School is really two books in one: 1) a compendium on all of the skills and techniques you need in order to make a great pie, and 2) a comprehensive assortment of fruit pie recipes. The first section "The Art and Science of Pie" explains what tools and techniques you need. The second section includes 8 different recipes for different types of crusts. Then there are individual sections for each of the following fruits: rhubarb, blueberry, cherry, peach, plums, blackberries, and apple. The apple section has 10 different recipes ! One section is for pies to make when summer fruits are out of season (including lemon and banana cream). The final section is for chiffon pies.

The instructions are thorough and well laid out and include photographs on how to roll out and assemble a pie dough. Each section is preceded by a beautiful full color photograph of a pie. Other than that, there are few photographs throughout the recipe sections of the book. Each recipe page includes easy to follow instructions and plenty of white space on the page for your notes. The comprehensive instructions on how to make a pie crust take the fear out of homemade - I will never buy a frozen or premade pie crust again - home made is so much better and not that hard to do.

Each of the recipes tried so far has been successful and a huge hit with the family. I look forward to summer when I will be able to go to the local farmer's market and pick up whatever fruits looks appealing and come home and make a pie!

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like pie as much as the next person and have managed to make a really great pumpkin pie and some a few other kinds, so I thought I would check out this cookbook. I did like that she had a chapter on different types of pie crust, but I felt like the majority of the recipes were just fruit pies when there are a lot of other kinds out there. I also felt like it would have made sense to include a few savory pies/quiches too. Overall, there were a few recipes I'd like to try, but it wasn't quite what I was expecting.

[jeanmarie]

I like the author’s approach here. I wish there were metric measurements. I’m not giving a star because I didn’t make anything from it, partially because it just felt like an interchangeable pie book (sorry to the author!). I think it would be great to get from the library but after reading cover to cover I don’t feel like I learned much more than I already knew but maybe because that’s in a cookbook junkie.

If you’re looking for a solid pie cookbook that covers the basics plus a little more, this might be a good match for you!

[Naomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being new to pie baking, I wanted something that would be a great introduction to the craft. I was not disappointed! Kate Lebo provides great photos and thoroughly describes her suggested techniques to creating the best crusts and fillings. While she knows ingredients like fresh squeezed lemon juice or high fat butter may be the "best", she realizes that not everyone uses them, and says, "That's OK!" She also knows that there are a million variables to baking, including oven temperatures, types of flour, and so on, that can affect the outcome. It's a low stress way to teach.

For my first try, I made her apple pie. It turned out great! All A's from my husband. And my father said, "It's not a crust filled with gooey stuff. It's real fruit!"

Overall, a great cookbook.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for the beginner. Solid background on tools and ingredients. I liked it for the arrangement of recipes by fruit & by combinations. Some combinations are more unusual, which is nice to see (eg. peach & ginger or plum & thyme; we've been making bluebarb desserts for years). Very limited offerings for gluten/wheat-free crusts; I plan to use my own versions of GF crusts with her filling recipes.

[Denise :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Perfectly Wonderful Read….and the recipes sound terrific, too!

If you’re one who truly enjoys reading your cookbooks, this is an obvious choice for you. The writing is as delightful as the recipes. I particularly enjoyed the author’s confidence and encouragement in her readers’ abilities. Warm, witty, personable with the perfect balance of humor. I’ve bookmarked about a dozen recipes to try over the next year or so, starting today.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

a great review of the basics - I love how the recipes are grouped by fruit in a seasonal order. it feels like it makes sense to me. It is a great book that goes through many of the basics and would be a great gift for a new pie maker.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not a complete review, I have yet to try a recipe from the book. But the author clearly knows all about pie and how to make it. Her descriptions alone are mouthwatering. I'm hoping that with this I can conquer my fear of pie (my last ones did not come out well at all).

[Mrs. Dunwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely

Lovely book with some nice recipes. Good descriptions and instructions for many crust and filling recipes. Would recommend to any baker.

[Janet · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too many words, not enough pictures.

[Hannah Christmas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never read a cookbook before. I do what most other people do, which is look for the recipe you can make, make the recipe, and then put it back in the kitchen cabinet you hide it in. Like everyone else, I just kind of collect cookbooks to use when I'm having people over or going to a potluck. I got Pie School: Lessons in Fruit, Flour & Butter for Christmas last year and recently opened it for a dinner I was going to. I agreed to make a pie, and I knew I had to make it good. I figured this cookbook had some showstopper pie recipes for me to use. Boy, did I underestimate it.

I opened my book, and immediately was entertained by Kate Lebo's humor and honesty as she described what inspired her pie baking. She describes the science of pies, the crust, the filling, and the different types of pie, and so much more. Instead of looking at the recipes, I read every single narrative Lebo wrote on each and every page. It was so cleverly written, good for readers and food-lovers everywhere (even if you're not much of a baker).

And, of course, the recipes. I did try out two recipes (4 if you include the two types of crust I used). They were so delicious, so simple to make, and I got so many compliments that I couldn't stop blushing. But what was wonderful was that I could actually talk about my pie (kind of like I had my own cooking show - it was great). I could tell people why my crust was so flaky and perfect, what thickener I used and why I didn't use a different one. I learned all about the whys and hows of pies, and that was what I was looking for.

Thank you, Kate Lebo. I get to be the pie expert in my family, and I don't have to be modest. :)

[Beth Quigley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I keep picking up this book and re-reading! Kate's love of baking and writing= 1 great book to have. Perfect for a wedding or birthday gift. I was afraid of pie crusts, until I read this. Not only does she explain, step by step, how to achieve perfect pie results, but she tells you WHY you need to do it this way. Science, guys! It's all about science! If you read Kate's instructions, you really can't go wrong. Plus, the book is gorgeous. It's one you'll want to keep out on the kitchen counter for friends to envy.

[Teri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this gift from my daughter who loves to bake and her husband who is an excellent chef. The book itself is enjoyable to read I learned a lot about making pies. I can now make perfect crust and a galette to die for. I've made so many great pies since reading this book. Thanks Kate for this great book!!!!!

[Daisy]

Maybe you get shy around pastry...

There's crumbly, tender, sturdy, delicate, pale, collapsing, powdery, flavorful, rich, and a whole host of negative descriptors--tough, gluey, hard, chewy, bland. Our goal isn't to always make perfectly flaky dough. Our goal is to achieve the adjectives of our choice on purpose.

[Saima · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting back story; some useful tips; recommended for experienced cooks.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great resource for making pastry.

[Susie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the poetry angle!