The Hoosier Mama Book of Pie

When Paula Haney first opened the Hoosier Mama Pie Company on March 14, 2009 (Pi day, appropriately enough), she worried whether her new business could survive by specializing in just one thing. When she opened her storefront that morning and saw a line around the block, she realised she had a more immediate problem: had she made enough pie? The shop closed early that day, but it has been churning out plenty of Chicago's most delectable pies ever since.

Since starting her career as a pastry chef at Trio, one of Chicago's top fine-dining restaurants, Haney dreamed of opening her own pie shop. Exhilarating and exhausting days spent creating fabulous new desserts to keep up with the restaurant's head chef—a then-unknown Grant Achatz, who would go on to culinary superstardom—left Haney in search of classic comfort food on her days off. Her disappointment in being unable to find a good slice of pie in all of Chicago led her to one conclusion: she needed to open her own store.

Specializing in handmade, artisanal pies that only use locally sourced and in-season ingredients, Hoosier Mama Pie Company has become a local favourite and a national destination gaining praise from Bon Appétit, the Food Network, and Food & Wine as one of the top pie shops in the country. Now, The Hoosier Mama Book of Pie delivers all the sumptuous secrets of buttery crusts, fruity fillings, creams and custards, chess pies, over-the-top pies, and even the stout and hearty savoury pie. The practically oriented, easy-going, and accessible style of this book will help bakers both new and old make the perfect pie for every occasion.

On top of all of this, The Hoosier Mama Book of Pie also includes tips on technique, fascinating historical anecdotes, and an emphasis on special seasonal recipes, as well as quiches, hand pies, and scones. This beautifully photographed and designed book has the classic retro feel of the mid-20th century golden age of pie, and all the warmth and personality of the Hoosier Mama Pie Co.'s cosy Chicago storefront. The focus on using local produce and employing the farm-to-table philosophy gives the book a contemporary twist, helping home bakers make the freshest, most delicious pies imaginable. Now readers can take a little piece of the Hoosier Mama Pie Company anywhere they go.