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50 Pies, 50 States: An Immigrant's Love Letter to the United States Through Pie
A "deliciously unique" love letter in pie crust to every state—a delicious portrait of the country with more than 50 recipes for extraordinary pies that taste just like home. (Jessie Sheehan, author of Snackable Bakes )
There's nothing quite so American as a slice of pie. That's what Stacey Mei Yan Fong learned growing up in Singapore and Hong Kong, watching movies set in the United States and dreaming about taking a road trip from coast to coast, stopping at diners along the way. After college in Savannah and a decade as a fashion designer, Stacey turned her passion for home baking into an ode to her chosen honoring the people, places, and flavors that made her love this country with a pie for each state.
Each pie is an impressive, whimsical tribute that encapsulates a state's unique flavors and honors its culture.
· For South Dakota, Stacey researched Indigenous ingredients with a Sioux nation chef to create her Wild Rice Pudding Pie.
· For Illinois, she created a Deep Dish Pumpkin Pie.
· For Nevada, she brought a Las Vegas all-you-can-eat-buffet into eight extraordinary savory and sweet slices.
And there are plenty of crowd pleasers, such
· Kentucky's Derby Pie with Blackberry Sauce
· Mississippi Mud Pie
· Idaho’s Mashed Potato Pie with Hash Brown Crust and Scallop Potato Topping
· Georgia's Sweet Tea Peach Pie with Pecan Crumble
· North Dakota’s Tater Tot Hot Dish Pie
With bonus pies to honor Stacey’s trajectory from Southeast Asia to her Brooklyn home,
· A Pandan Custard Pie for her birthplace of Singapore
· A Kope Jahe Pie in honor of her childhood in Indonesia
· A Honey Peach Pie for her time at the Savannah College of Art and Design
· And a Bagel Order Pie to celebrate her new forever New York City home
Every pie is an opportunity to celebrate–or defend your home state's honor, presented in a beautifully packaged cookbook that is "everything we need more of right now" (Cheryl day, author of Cheryl Day's Treasury of Southern Baking ). Bake your way through and you'll taste the full range of flavors that America has to offer.
With recipes organized like the all-American roadtrip we've all wanted to complete, this book is a journey through the wonders of pie for bakers of all skill levels–and the story of one extraordinary woman who chose to make this place her home.
There's nothing quite so American as a slice of pie. That's what Stacey Mei Yan Fong learned growing up in Singapore and Hong Kong, watching movies set in the United States and dreaming about taking a road trip from coast to coast, stopping at diners along the way. After college in Savannah and a decade as a fashion designer, Stacey turned her passion for home baking into an ode to her chosen honoring the people, places, and flavors that made her love this country with a pie for each state.
Each pie is an impressive, whimsical tribute that encapsulates a state's unique flavors and honors its culture.
· For South Dakota, Stacey researched Indigenous ingredients with a Sioux nation chef to create her Wild Rice Pudding Pie.
· For Illinois, she created a Deep Dish Pumpkin Pie.
· For Nevada, she brought a Las Vegas all-you-can-eat-buffet into eight extraordinary savory and sweet slices.
And there are plenty of crowd pleasers, such
· Kentucky's Derby Pie with Blackberry Sauce
· Mississippi Mud Pie
· Idaho’s Mashed Potato Pie with Hash Brown Crust and Scallop Potato Topping
· Georgia's Sweet Tea Peach Pie with Pecan Crumble
· North Dakota’s Tater Tot Hot Dish Pie
With bonus pies to honor Stacey’s trajectory from Southeast Asia to her Brooklyn home,
· A Pandan Custard Pie for her birthplace of Singapore
· A Kope Jahe Pie in honor of her childhood in Indonesia
· A Honey Peach Pie for her time at the Savannah College of Art and Design
· And a Bagel Order Pie to celebrate her new forever New York City home
Every pie is an opportunity to celebrate–or defend your home state's honor, presented in a beautifully packaged cookbook that is "everything we need more of right now" (Cheryl day, author of Cheryl Day's Treasury of Southern Baking ). Bake your way through and you'll taste the full range of flavors that America has to offer.
With recipes organized like the all-American roadtrip we've all wanted to complete, this book is a journey through the wonders of pie for bakers of all skill levels–and the story of one extraordinary woman who chose to make this place her home.
384 pages, Hardcover
Published June 13, 2023
39 people are currently reading
395 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
June 12, 2023
I really loved the idea of this book and the concept behind it. The facts, memoir, and recipes mix really well into a book that you can read and cook from. There are a few kinds of pie missing from this book, like sweet potato and chicken pot pie. Though there are some seriously creative recipes here too!
July 4, 2023
The book is cute but it was bizarre how many references to beer and drinking there were. Nearly every story about a friend or a state involved beer and/or partying.
I’m not one to begrudge someone a drink but it really stood out! Maybe her next book should be about breweries or her love of cheap beer?
She kept saying she loved pie but honestly that never came across to me. Her true passion seems to be beer and drinking. Which is fine but not what I was expecting from this “love letter” to pie.
Some sourcing suggestions would have been nice. Some of the ingredients were very regional
I’m not one to begrudge someone a drink but it really stood out! Maybe her next book should be about breweries or her love of cheap beer?
She kept saying she loved pie but honestly that never came across to me. Her true passion seems to be beer and drinking. Which is fine but not what I was expecting from this “love letter” to pie.
Some sourcing suggestions would have been nice. Some of the ingredients were very regional
June 30, 2023
I impulse bought this cookbook after reading about it somewhere. The idea of a pie representing each state intrigued me. I have been baking cakes routinely for about a year and a half and my sister-in-law suggested a similar project to this cookbook, creating cakes for each of the states I’ve lived in as a military spouse. I’ve been working my way through Goodreads’ Armchair Traveler list, so this cookbook is in tandem with that idea too.
I got bored halfway through reading the book though (aside that I routinely read cookbooks and often enjoy them, feeling inspired and excited about the food). How many times does Stacey have to illustrate her point by alluding to beer, “scream singing,” and hangovers? Why is the recommendation for most of the pies to enjoy with an alcoholic beverage? Glad all your experiences in the US involve beer and partying. It really came across as having been written by a 20-something frat “bro” rather than a 30-something. (Also, “boi?” Ugh!)
The actual pie recipes were creative, but some much too much so. For example, The Jersey Breakfast sandwich Pie and the All-You-Can-Eat Buffet Pie, among others, were completely unappealing and unappetizing to me. Others, like the Ted Drewes-Inspired Frozen Custard Pie, seem overwhelmingly sweet. Some pies did sound good, but the creativity got out of hand in many of them. It’s also clear Stacey isn’t a trained pastry chef which is perfectly fine, that’s not the point of her book. However, one pie actually uses canned pie filling, many use other pre-packaged items. I will admit that I’m a snob about making things from scratch, but that’s an example of why this cookbook doesn’t appeal to me, personally. Finally, she suggests many ingredients that are regional (obviously) and/or highly specialized without any indication of how to (or if it’s even possible to) obtain them outside the region. I think that with this cookbook, websites or company names should have been included with each pie to allow the baker to find the ingredients, if desired.
My mother-in law told me about a year ago that she’s started checking cookbooks out at the library before she buys them, for a test run so to speak, and I desperately wish I’d done that with this one.
I got bored halfway through reading the book though (aside that I routinely read cookbooks and often enjoy them, feeling inspired and excited about the food). How many times does Stacey have to illustrate her point by alluding to beer, “scream singing,” and hangovers? Why is the recommendation for most of the pies to enjoy with an alcoholic beverage? Glad all your experiences in the US involve beer and partying. It really came across as having been written by a 20-something frat “bro” rather than a 30-something. (Also, “boi?” Ugh!)
The actual pie recipes were creative, but some much too much so. For example, The Jersey Breakfast sandwich Pie and the All-You-Can-Eat Buffet Pie, among others, were completely unappealing and unappetizing to me. Others, like the Ted Drewes-Inspired Frozen Custard Pie, seem overwhelmingly sweet. Some pies did sound good, but the creativity got out of hand in many of them. It’s also clear Stacey isn’t a trained pastry chef which is perfectly fine, that’s not the point of her book. However, one pie actually uses canned pie filling, many use other pre-packaged items. I will admit that I’m a snob about making things from scratch, but that’s an example of why this cookbook doesn’t appeal to me, personally. Finally, she suggests many ingredients that are regional (obviously) and/or highly specialized without any indication of how to (or if it’s even possible to) obtain them outside the region. I think that with this cookbook, websites or company names should have been included with each pie to allow the baker to find the ingredients, if desired.
My mother-in law told me about a year ago that she’s started checking cookbooks out at the library before she buys them, for a test run so to speak, and I desperately wish I’d done that with this one.
April 27, 2023
Fong grew up in several Asian countries, but immigrated to the United States for college. This book showcases pies from her childhood and her journeys through America. She proceeds through the states alphabetically, telling about her time in the state or interesting facts and stories for states she hasn’t visited yet.
Each state’s section also includes a recipe for a sweet or savory pie, such as Louisiana's Strawberry Mayhaw Jelly Pie with Beignet Toppers or Minnesota's Corn Dog-Hotdish Pie with Savory Funnel-Cake Topping. The photographs are absolutely mouthwatering! Some of the 'dedications' after the recipes were just a bit boring for me, or this would've been 5 stars.
Each state’s section also includes a recipe for a sweet or savory pie, such as Louisiana's Strawberry Mayhaw Jelly Pie with Beignet Toppers or Minnesota's Corn Dog-Hotdish Pie with Savory Funnel-Cake Topping. The photographs are absolutely mouthwatering! Some of the 'dedications' after the recipes were just a bit boring for me, or this would've been 5 stars.
October 31, 2023
Stacey Mei Yan Fong was born in Singapore and grew up mostly in Hong Kong before moving to the United States for college in Savannah, Georgia. After moving to New York City after college, Stacey decided that it was time to pursue permanent residency status. While she was engaged in that process she decided to create and bake pies that exemplified each of the fifty states and dedicate each pie to a friend with a connection to that state.This book is the result of that endeavor.
I really enjoyed reading about Stacey’s process for creating each pie, and I loved the individual dedications. I did, however, have a few bones to pick about some of the pies: for example, the Tater Tot Hot Dish Pie should have been the Minnesota pie, not the North Dakota pie, as Minnesota is the home of the hot dish. I also got a bit weary of reading about Stacey’s drinking escapades, but that may be because those days are long over for me.
Overall, this was a fun read. I’m in awe of Stacey’s creativity!
I really enjoyed reading about Stacey’s process for creating each pie, and I loved the individual dedications. I did, however, have a few bones to pick about some of the pies: for example, the Tater Tot Hot Dish Pie should have been the Minnesota pie, not the North Dakota pie, as Minnesota is the home of the hot dish. I also got a bit weary of reading about Stacey’s drinking escapades, but that may be because those days are long over for me.
Overall, this was a fun read. I’m in awe of Stacey’s creativity!
June 25, 2023
This was disappointing. I felt like the recipes were based off a Wikipedia search of each state with no understanding of the state or what anyone would actually want in a pie.
Wisconsin was cranberry pie with fried cheese curd topping
NC: pulled pork, red slaw, and hush puppies
MN had corn dogs and TN was a gravy pie
I did find the Chicago deep dish pumpkin pie interesting but with about prep and 50 minutes of baking I’ll just stick to regular pumpkin pie. Although I wonder if the prep is that long, so I’ll probably try it. I love deep dish and using a spring form pan is a great idea.
Unfortunately most recipes were kinda out there and I couldn’t imagine making them. I appreciate taking the risk to create something different and I’d recommend anyone pick it up at a library to browse and see if you can find one of two new pies.
Overall two stars mostly for trying something different. But the recipes just didn’t make me want to start making pie.
Wisconsin was cranberry pie with fried cheese curd topping
NC: pulled pork, red slaw, and hush puppies
MN had corn dogs and TN was a gravy pie
I did find the Chicago deep dish pumpkin pie interesting but with about prep and 50 minutes of baking I’ll just stick to regular pumpkin pie. Although I wonder if the prep is that long, so I’ll probably try it. I love deep dish and using a spring form pan is a great idea.
Unfortunately most recipes were kinda out there and I couldn’t imagine making them. I appreciate taking the risk to create something different and I’d recommend anyone pick it up at a library to browse and see if you can find one of two new pies.
Overall two stars mostly for trying something different. But the recipes just didn’t make me want to start making pie.
July 2, 2023
I learned a lot from this delightful book! I learned that the author has a surprising amount of guy friends, drinks way more than I do, and has vastly different taste in music than me. She also went to SCAD in Savannah, which I'm very jealous of, and def seems like more of an extrovert.
I also learned about the states! There are too many states that do not have official state foods, so you bitches need to get on that! I learned about indigenous foods, asian foods, and a lot more about regional foods than I did. I love learning about and trying regional cuisines.
I love all the pie ideas except Mississippi. I feel I could have come up with a more thoughtful and interesting pie for Mississippi. The photos and illustrations are lovely, the recipes look great, and the pie making tips at the back are helpful.
Looking forward to trying Oregons pear and hazelnut pie with Marionberry sauce!
I also learned about the states! There are too many states that do not have official state foods, so you bitches need to get on that! I learned about indigenous foods, asian foods, and a lot more about regional foods than I did. I love learning about and trying regional cuisines.
I love all the pie ideas except Mississippi. I feel I could have come up with a more thoughtful and interesting pie for Mississippi. The photos and illustrations are lovely, the recipes look great, and the pie making tips at the back are helpful.
Looking forward to trying Oregons pear and hazelnut pie with Marionberry sauce!
January 28, 2024
While I love the idea of this book, many of the pies missed the mark. And a few classic American options were missing. Can you write a recipe for a pie dedicated to a state without ever having visited? Maybe, but not in this circumstance. I enjoyed the writing, but it felt more like a love letter to her friends...not the USA.
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November 10, 2024Baked: Alabama — peach blackberry pie with salted pecan brown sugar crumble. Does in fact pair well with light beer.
Quite nice that you can find pies by state order OR pie type. Each pie has fun pairings and a sentimental story/relationship to the author.
Quite nice that you can find pies by state order OR pie type. Each pie has fun pairings and a sentimental story/relationship to the author.
November 11, 2024
I have never read a recipe book that is this much fun before! I love how the author dedicated each pie to a person she knows in that specific state and as a non-baker – the recipes seem totally doable. I plan to give this recipe book out as gifts!
July 2, 2023
I skimmed this book…I don’t think Cookbooks traditionally are books that you just read cover to cover, but I liked the idea behind this book. Unfortunately, I didn’t find too many pies in this book that I’d actually like to eat. A lot of them didn’t sound at all appetizing, as though the author was trying to put as many ingredients that she felt were emphasized by the state the pie was supposed to represent. A lot of them didn’t really seem to fit the state either. I laughed when I saw that Florida was just a very predictable Key Lime Pie, yet you have Corn Dog-Hotdish Pie with Savory Funnel-Cake Topping for Minnesota, and an All-You-Can-Eat Buffet Pie for Nevada. Also, the dedications throughout the book meant absolutely nothing to me as a reader. Why not just list them at the end? I gave the book 3 stars because of the effort put into it, and the photographs were well done. I won’t be making any pies from it though.
December 1, 2023
I loved the idea of this book. The dedication for each recipe creator and the state is sweet, but the recipes are not my thing. At all. So many of the pies are so fiddly and unnecessarily time-consuming. Like the Idaho pie for example, I would not bother making THREE separate potato dishes just to make a single pie. I value my time. I would only make a few of these pies if forced. A lot of them are just side dishes served in a crust and I don't think that's very creative.
November 2, 2024
This was such a delightful book to read! I highly recommend it to everyone, regardless of whether you enjoy pie or would ever attempt to make a pie. The author, Stacey, has a fantastic and authentic narrative voice. I felt like I was sitting across the table from her (with a pie or two in between us, of course) the entire book.
As the subtitle states, this cookbook is Stacey's love letter to her adopted country. And you can tell she really loves us! The title is slightly misleading, in a good way: there's a few "bonus" pies for Singapore and D.C. and more. ;)
Spoiler alert:
If I were allowed to do half stars, this one would have gotten 4.5. It's got everything I love in a cookbook and more. Full color photos of every pie, clear step-by-step instructions, heads up about any special equipment you may need, and a great narrative voice to the intros. PLUS this one had a full page (or sometimes slightly more) on the history and culture of each state! The only reason for a loss of a single half star for me personally was that many of the pies are way beyond my skill level. You're going to spend a couple hours on each pie. Stacey is honest about that too, and heads each recipe with estimated times. It's just a little frustrating to want to eat literally every pie in this book and know that I can only try a very few!
That being said, I'm going to try the Connecticut, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania pies. Connecticut & Mississippi sound delicious and look easy enough for my skill set. I currently live in NC but was born in PA, so I have to do those!
As the subtitle states, this cookbook is Stacey's love letter to her adopted country. And you can tell she really loves us! The title is slightly misleading, in a good way: there's a few "bonus" pies for Singapore and D.C. and more. ;)
Spoiler alert:
If I were allowed to do half stars, this one would have gotten 4.5. It's got everything I love in a cookbook and more. Full color photos of every pie, clear step-by-step instructions, heads up about any special equipment you may need, and a great narrative voice to the intros. PLUS this one had a full page (or sometimes slightly more) on the history and culture of each state! The only reason for a loss of a single half star for me personally was that many of the pies are way beyond my skill level. You're going to spend a couple hours on each pie. Stacey is honest about that too, and heads each recipe with estimated times. It's just a little frustrating to want to eat literally every pie in this book and know that I can only try a very few!
That being said, I'm going to try the Connecticut, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania pies. Connecticut & Mississippi sound delicious and look easy enough for my skill set. I currently live in NC but was born in PA, so I have to do those!
August 29, 2023
Some of this innovative baking book will not be for everyone; however, the well-written and clear recipes and intriguing combinations of both savory and sweet pies is worth a look for any baker who wants both comfort or challenge. Entertaining and graphically pleasing, the photography and instructions shine. The innovation that may tire some but enchanted me were the dedication pages to Fong’s friends and family for each of her pie creations—it is a wonderful celebration of community, friendship, and family as well as a thank you for their encouragement and support of her careers and this book. Easily ignored if you just want the recipes, I encourage you to read them and the Intro to each state (or place) which are a great combo of information, whimsy, and written in a spectacularly accessible voice. I would happily run with this crowd of creative and supportive people. And the pies are so enticing—even combinations of flavors and textures I would never have considered—Corn-Dogs? Spam? I look forward to trying quite a few of them, the last part of the book contains recipes for the Crusts referred to, some technique pointers, and the book also contains an equipment and ingredient overview. The excellent Index in the back is necessary because Fong organizes the book by State but not alphabetically. Really fun. And I bet delicious. Bakers—new and experienced should take a look. I also suggest Rossi Anastopoulo’s Sweet Land of Liberty for an historic overview with recipes of America in 11 pies, Michele Stuart’s Perfect Pies, and Ko’s Pieometry.
November 23, 2023
Stacey Mei Yan Fong hails from Singapore, spent some time in Indonesia, grew up in Hong Kong, and moved to the United States. She now lives in the United States and calls Brooklyn, New York her home. I've never been to any of these countries besides the United States. It makes me jealous.
I don't know how to shorten Stacey Mei Yan Fong's name. Therefore, I will call her Yan Fong. She developed this project as a love letter to the United States. The book is 50 Pies, 50 States. Yan Fong goes through each state of the union in alphabetical order and makes a pie with their state specialties.
The book is part cookbook and part travelogue. Yan Fong hasn't been to each state in the United States but does a great job coming up with pies. The Wisconsin Pie has cranberries and cheese curds in it. There are more than 50 pies in the book, but I don't see that being an issue. She has a pie based on Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Savannah Georgia, and 50 more.
I have been to a portion of the 50 United States. Wisconsin is a given, but I have been to Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Arizona, Alaska, and a small amount of time in Texas. Arizona was a wonderful time, and so was Alaska.
I think of pie as a sweet dessert, but pie can also have savory meat filling or vegetables. The book served to demonstrate the depth of my ignorance.
I enjoyed the book. Thanks for reading my review, and see you next time.
I don't know how to shorten Stacey Mei Yan Fong's name. Therefore, I will call her Yan Fong. She developed this project as a love letter to the United States. The book is 50 Pies, 50 States. Yan Fong goes through each state of the union in alphabetical order and makes a pie with their state specialties.
The book is part cookbook and part travelogue. Yan Fong hasn't been to each state in the United States but does a great job coming up with pies. The Wisconsin Pie has cranberries and cheese curds in it. There are more than 50 pies in the book, but I don't see that being an issue. She has a pie based on Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Savannah Georgia, and 50 more.
I have been to a portion of the 50 United States. Wisconsin is a given, but I have been to Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Arizona, Alaska, and a small amount of time in Texas. Arizona was a wonderful time, and so was Alaska.
I think of pie as a sweet dessert, but pie can also have savory meat filling or vegetables. The book served to demonstrate the depth of my ignorance.
I enjoyed the book. Thanks for reading my review, and see you next time.
July 25, 2024
Interesting concept. There is a lot of creativity here, with mostly from scratch fillings and crusts. Some pies look delicious and beautiful...others look downright yuck to me (all-you-can-eat buffet pie, ruby red grapefruit pie with candied jalapenos, or corn dog-hotdish pie with savory funnel-cake topping?!). Hard to rate a book without baking/tasting. I will comment primarily on the states I'm most familiar with. Montana: Pasty Pie with Buffalo Stew and Cherry Fillings -- While I appreciate the tribute to the Butte miner's pasty and love buffalo meat, the ring of cherry pie filling to make dinner and dessert in one is a hard no for me, especially serviced with gravy. Cherry pie should be a separate pie from the buffalo stew pasty pie. Idaho: Mashed Potato Pie with Hash Brown Crust and Scalloped Potato Topping -- So the home of "Famous Potatoes" gets a three-types-of-potato pie? This could work, actually, though it's a lot of work for one pie, making hash browns, mashed potatoes and scalloped potatoes all together from scratch. Washington state: Rainier Cherry and Apple Pie with Potato Chip Crumble -- this sounds really good! Tim's Cascade potato chips are a nice regional touch. But Rainier Cherries aren't in season at the same time as Washington apples, so you'd probably be using imported apples, just FYI.
June 1, 2024
I chose this book for one of my bookclubs. It was fun for about the first 30, but I was bored with it by around pie 35. At first the dedications were cute, but they started to sound very repetitive very quickly, and I got tired of hearing about drinking, how everyone is her best friend, and how every state– even the ones she hasn’t been to– holds such a special place in her heart. A lot of this book felt cookie-cutter– like the author wrote a template and copy/pasted 50 times. That’s fine when it comes to formatting recipes, but I would’ve liked some more variety in the state info and dedications. Given the template of state info > recipe > photo(s) > dedication I don’t see how this could’ve been shorter. But maybe not every single state necessarily needed a dedication.
She did certainly come up with some interesting ingredient combinations, and, as with any cookbook, some are sure to win and others not so much. The Alaska, Nevada, and Wisconsin pies were especially eyebrow raising.
This book is heavy and an awkward size. Holding it was uncomfortable, but I wasn’t going to sit and read it at a table like a textbook. This book is very visually appealing, and the photos are stunning.
She did certainly come up with some interesting ingredient combinations, and, as with any cookbook, some are sure to win and others not so much. The Alaska, Nevada, and Wisconsin pies were especially eyebrow raising.
This book is heavy and an awkward size. Holding it was uncomfortable, but I wasn’t going to sit and read it at a table like a textbook. This book is very visually appealing, and the photos are stunning.
August 13, 2025
I'm waffling between 2.5 and 3 stars, so I guess I'm in a generous mood.
I read about this book somewhere and decided to check it out from the library just for kicks. It was fun but not what I expected. I enjoyed the blurbs about each state and why each pie recipe was chosen. I have to say, though, that some of the pie recipes were a bit bizarre. There's creativity and then there's strangeness. The photos were delightful. Who doesn't enjoy looking at fun pictures of food?
As for Stacey Mei Yan Fong, she seems like a smart, likable person, and I loved the bits she wrote about her background and how she came to the U.S. for college and ending up staying. She's lighthearted and fun, but her obsession with sharing her drinking escapades (her life sounds like it would be a constant hangover) and pairing up SO many of the pie recipes with beer is just a bit much. Her dedication of each pie to various friends and acquaintances with a connection to the state is charming at times and too ooey-gooey at others. Maybe I'm too old for this book, but the other reviews I've read sound like they had a few of the same opinions.
I read about this book somewhere and decided to check it out from the library just for kicks. It was fun but not what I expected. I enjoyed the blurbs about each state and why each pie recipe was chosen. I have to say, though, that some of the pie recipes were a bit bizarre. There's creativity and then there's strangeness. The photos were delightful. Who doesn't enjoy looking at fun pictures of food?
As for Stacey Mei Yan Fong, she seems like a smart, likable person, and I loved the bits she wrote about her background and how she came to the U.S. for college and ending up staying. She's lighthearted and fun, but her obsession with sharing her drinking escapades (her life sounds like it would be a constant hangover) and pairing up SO many of the pie recipes with beer is just a bit much. Her dedication of each pie to various friends and acquaintances with a connection to the state is charming at times and too ooey-gooey at others. Maybe I'm too old for this book, but the other reviews I've read sound like they had a few of the same opinions.
January 17, 2024
I love the author's research and affection for people, places, and food! This was a really fun read. I am working on a similar project for fun, and I loved seeing how she encountered each state with her research or experiences!
I downgraded it to a 4 for two reasons:
-I read and review a lot of cookbooks because I read them like novels. However, if I feel that several recipes would require a lot of extra effort to get ingredients or supplies, the book gets downgraded most of the time. There are some very unique items that would be difficult or just for one recipe (Rhode Island, New Jersey, Tennessee, etc.).
-She dedicates each pie to a specific person (mostly). The anecdotes become very repetitive, and I found myself not really caring to read those pages. She mentions constantly that she went to SCAD for school, and many of her anecdotes are "we drank so much and now are besties." It would have been better to minimize those sections except for maybe really key people for her. The intros to each pie are pretty well-written though and consistent to her theme.
I downgraded it to a 4 for two reasons:
-I read and review a lot of cookbooks because I read them like novels. However, if I feel that several recipes would require a lot of extra effort to get ingredients or supplies, the book gets downgraded most of the time. There are some very unique items that would be difficult or just for one recipe (Rhode Island, New Jersey, Tennessee, etc.).
-She dedicates each pie to a specific person (mostly). The anecdotes become very repetitive, and I found myself not really caring to read those pages. She mentions constantly that she went to SCAD for school, and many of her anecdotes are "we drank so much and now are besties." It would have been better to minimize those sections except for maybe really key people for her. The intros to each pie are pretty well-written though and consistent to her theme.
October 6, 2023
I love this concept. Some of the pies are intriguing to me in a good way (sour cream & raisin? blue crab dip pie?) and some are intriguing to me in a 'would-anyone-actually-make-this' way (looking at you, All You Can Eat Buffet Pie, where shrimp sits next to salad and chocolate mousse on the same pie. Erk.) Many of the pies are accessible, but some really do require region-specific items. You could probably make a Ted Drewes inspired frozen custard pie with ice cream in place of the Missouri frozen custard, but I don't know what Moxie is or tastes like so I'm not sure that I could make the pie that includes it. Also, not sure how prevalent elk and buffalo are in some states, so those might be tricky.
The only thing more intriguing than the Corndog-hot dish pie with funnel-cake topping was that the author actually knew at least one person in every state to dedicate each pie to. I don't think I even know 50 people.
The only thing more intriguing than the Corndog-hot dish pie with funnel-cake topping was that the author actually knew at least one person in every state to dedicate each pie to. I don't think I even know 50 people.
January 26, 2024
2024 bk 5: This book was interesting. I've read other books built around the theme of 'pie across the US" before. This one's layout differs from the others in that it provides a column on the state's history, a column on how she came to choose or create a pie recipe for the state, the recipe, and finally a dedication to the people she has met along the way with ties to that particular state. She references the pies traditionally thought of in relationship to a state, but manages to make each pie recipe her own with the addition of different ingredients or crusts. The last section of the book is devoted to making all the types of crusts she used and will be very helpful. There were probably more savory pies than I would have put into the mix, but I did enjoy looking at the pies and her creative designs on the top crust (Dolly Parton!).
October 4, 2023
a very interesting cookbook for any pie lover or any pie eater. Going state by state, Ms. Fong has collected a recipe that reflects the tastes, products and culture of each state. A story of the state is included, as well as an endorsement from a friend or resident of the state concerning the pie. Some are fruit pies, easy to expect, but other states offer exotic savory pies such as Wild salmon from Alaska, artichoke pie from California and a buffalo stew with cherries pie from Montana. each recipe includes easy to follow directions and a mouth watering picture. The author alsoincludes personal favorites from her life and places she has lived, such as Singapore and Indonesia. Thhis bookis fun and willcertainly inspire you to get baking!
August 4, 2023
This is a cute idea for a cookbook and it was nice to see a photo of each pie. It's more of a coffee table book than a cookbook because the recipes range from esoteric and un-obtainable ingredients to cans of soup. Leafing through it I could see maybe one or two that I might want to try cooking and a few more I'd eat if someone else cooked them for me. I'm guessing they are delicious since most of the recipes seem to call for 1/2 to 1 cup of cream. Can't go wrong there!
The idea of it being an immigrant's love letter seems a little forced and surface-level, but it's definitely fun to leaf through.
The idea of it being an immigrant's love letter seems a little forced and surface-level, but it's definitely fun to leaf through.
October 4, 2023
What a treat this is! Recipes of popular, as well as obscure pies are included to represent each state in the country, and a few other places of importance to the author. From apple, blueberry, and shoofly pies to the more obscure pulled pork, tater tot-hotdog, and bison and coors stew pies, this book is sure to include something for all palates. In addition to recipes, the author includes early historical information, trivial tidbits, and her experiences while in the state with each recipe to make this a unique read. Unfortunately, Ms. Fong's use of exclamation points is distracting and bound to make all English teachers shudder.
April 20, 2024
Decent read. I knew nothing of the author going in.
Each state is represented by a few paragraphs of Wikipedia information and/or the authors personal opinion/reflection of events there. Then the pie is inspired by local cuisine, state food, or something in that vein.
Each state pie is then followed by a dedication blurb to the authors friends/family/etc.
Some pies are sweet, some are savory.
Worth thumbing through for the state blurbs and pie recipes. I wasn't too interested in the personal attachment to each state but it is an interesting way to write the book. Nothing really stood out to me though, recipe wise.
Each state is represented by a few paragraphs of Wikipedia information and/or the authors personal opinion/reflection of events there. Then the pie is inspired by local cuisine, state food, or something in that vein.
Each state pie is then followed by a dedication blurb to the authors friends/family/etc.
Some pies are sweet, some are savory.
Worth thumbing through for the state blurbs and pie recipes. I wasn't too interested in the personal attachment to each state but it is an interesting way to write the book. Nothing really stood out to me though, recipe wise.
March 31, 2025
This was such a fun book! I love pies, so I am absolutely the target audience for this. I'll be honest, I ran out of time to actually make one of the pies before my library copy was due back, but I had a great deal of fun reading through all the descriptions for the states and the dedications. I am always annoyed when cookbooks lack enough photos, and this one certainly didn't disappoint. Each state photograph looked absolutely mouthwatering and certainly encouraged me to build some time for pie-baking into my near schedule. What a fun book!
Reread - Likely not.
Recommendation - Yes, I would.
Reread - Likely not.
Recommendation - Yes, I would.
October 23, 2023
I did not care for the layout of the recipes but I did enjoy the page devoted to each state's history and what the author learned while researching and visiting them. I also liked the unique and new fruit combinations featured.
Blackberry and Peach Pie with Pecan Crumble*
Blushing Prickly Pear and Apple Pie
Coconut Cream Pie with Pineapple-Upside-Down Topping
Strawberry Mayhaw Jelly Pie with Beignet Toppers
Buckeye Pie
Pear and Marionberry Pie with Olive Oil Ice Cream and Salty Hazelnut Crumble
Coffee Milk Pie
Rainier Cherry and Apple Pie with Potato Chip Crumble
Blackberry and Peach Pie with Pecan Crumble*
Blushing Prickly Pear and Apple Pie
Coconut Cream Pie with Pineapple-Upside-Down Topping
Strawberry Mayhaw Jelly Pie with Beignet Toppers
Buckeye Pie
Pear and Marionberry Pie with Olive Oil Ice Cream and Salty Hazelnut Crumble
Coffee Milk Pie
Rainier Cherry and Apple Pie with Potato Chip Crumble
November 17, 2023
IMO, it's an interesting, solid cookbook.
Addressing some of the criticisms from other readers - the author moved to the US for college, so the beer references aren't all that surprising. Also, savory pies are very common in the rest of the world (don't be so provincial, USians!) - so it's not surprising a number of them show up in the book.
I'm going to try the Ted Drewes-inspired frozen custard pie for the holidays this year - I'm sure the sugar content will be overwhelming, but it looks great for the southern hemisphere summer.
Addressing some of the criticisms from other readers - the author moved to the US for college, so the beer references aren't all that surprising. Also, savory pies are very common in the rest of the world (don't be so provincial, USians!) - so it's not surprising a number of them show up in the book.
I'm going to try the Ted Drewes-inspired frozen custard pie for the holidays this year - I'm sure the sugar content will be overwhelming, but it looks great for the southern hemisphere summer.
March 12, 2024
You can really feel the love in this cookbook. So many great recipes and stories and PICTURES!! I also love how the recipes are organized by state or can be divided by types of pies. I loved going through it to read through all the states and why she chose that specific pie for that state and the person she dedicated the recipe to. I found it hilarious that she made a Corn Dog Pie for Minnesota in honor of the MN State Fair or a Cabot Cheese crust for Vermont's apple pie. I personally can't wait to try The Jersey Breakfast Sandwich pie (it is pork roll, NOT Taylor Ham) and the New York Pie, which is apple pie with coffee cake crumble.
October 20, 2025
Not the recipes your Grandma made.
These are mostly new creations with sometimes bizarre or exotic ingredients. IMO the Texas Ruby Red Grapefruit pie with candied jalapenos is the most unusual, not that I made it. Many are savory pies and I think that stew and chili do not need a crust. I personally think that putting in a dedication to some person for each and every state adds no value to the reader, although it obviously meant a great deal to the author.
Most pies are 10" and I have multiple 9" pie pans.
These are mostly new creations with sometimes bizarre or exotic ingredients. IMO the Texas Ruby Red Grapefruit pie with candied jalapenos is the most unusual, not that I made it. Many are savory pies and I think that stew and chili do not need a crust. I personally think that putting in a dedication to some person for each and every state adds no value to the reader, although it obviously meant a great deal to the author.
Most pies are 10" and I have multiple 9" pie pans.
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