• Publisher: Da Capo Lifelong Books
• Release Date: Oct 25, 2011
• ISBN: 9780738212746

Vegan Pie In My Mouth: First Impressions

Vegan Pie in the Sky: 75 Out-of-This-World Recipes for Pies, Tarts, Cobblers, and More reviewed by Thomas (vegantrash.tumblr.com)

So I was wondering around my local bookstore looking for holiday gift ideas and simply killing time. I ritually walked past the cookbook section and I saw a little twinkle in the corner of my eye. That twinkle was VEGAN PIE IN THE SKY by vegan cookbook queens Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero. I was crazy excited on my discovery because it was a week before Amazon’s labeled release date. Without any further thought, I grabbed the book, ran to the register, then took a seat in the store’s cafe. With a cup of tea in hand and pure excitement, I started to research what I was going to make and what supplies I needed to do so. 

My appetite grew and my sweet tooth turned into sweet teeth as I flipped through the beautiful pages and pictures of cherry pie, blueberry cheesecake, key lime pie, peanut butter tartlets, and other drool-worthy recipes and gorgeous photos. Once I got to the pumpkin pie recipe, my decision was instantly finalized. Not only was the idea of making a pumpkin pie enough, I already had the ingredients I needed, so I flipped to the front of the book to see what materials were necessary. I compiled a short list, then went to Kitchen, Pantry, & Infinity (or whatever that place is called) and got a Pyrex pie pan, a tin crust shield, and pie weights. I skipped the rest of my plans for the day and headed home with nothing but pie on my mind.

[Ok, so I am going to flash forward to good part. I followed the directions & made the pie.]

When it came time to taste, my wife and I grabbed a piece and sat down. I took my bite and before I could even say a word she stated “this is pumpkin pie.” I couldn’t agree more. The pie’s texture, spice, and crust was pure perfection. I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed the flakiness and butteriness of a pie crust as much as I did with this one. I’m not going to say: “it tasted just like real pumpkin pie” because this marvel is a real pumpkin pie dammit, just minus the unnecessary animal cruelty. At the end of her piece, my wife stated that her mom’s non-vegan pumpkin pie, a childhood favorite of hers, has some serious competition. That in itself should explain how great this recipe is.

What I love about Isa and Terry’s dessert cookbook collaborations, is the fact that they explain the process so damn well, it’s almost foolproof. I was nervous buying a book about pie because I have always heard how difficult and time consuming pies were. Although the pumpkin pie recipe took patience and consisted long periods of just waiting, it really was a breeze. I also utilized my wait times to clean up and prep for the next steps, and it was awesome not feeling rushed or having a huge disaster to clean up after at the end. 

I can go on & on about how wonderful my first experience was with VEGAN PIE IN THE SKY, but I will give my fingers and your eyes a rest, for now at least. 

Besides making more pumpkin pies, these are the three recipes I am going to attempt next:

1. Strawberry Hand Pies
2. Cherry Pie
3. Peanut Butter & Jelly Cheesecake

Do yourself, your friends, and your stomach a favor and get this cookbook NOW.

Vegan pies FTW!