Vegan Pie in the Sky

November 28, 2011
Moskowitz and Romero (coauthors of Veganomicon) team up again and turn their attention to dessert in this collection of 75 egg, dairy and animal-free pies, cheesecakes, cobblers and tarts. Employing non-hydrogenated margarine and shortening, they offer bakers a wide variety of crusts to build onâfrom the traditional pie crust to chocolate, graham cracker and even buckwheat. Once they've got their crust handled (detailed techniques are included), readers can roll up their sleeves to create vegan versions of traditional pies like cherry, key lime, and pumpkin as well as a Chocolate Hazelnut Truffle Tart, Chai-Spiced Rice Pudding Pie and Peanut Butter Brownie Cheesecake. The duo deserves plaudits for their user-friendly approach as well as their ability to keep scarcer ingredients to a minimum. Bakers who fear they won't be able to recreate these will be happy to discover that once they've mastered a crust or two they'll be able to whip together a Strawberry Field Hand Pie, Chocolate Mousse Tart, or even a Coconut Cream with confidence. Agency: The Agency Group.

October 15, 2011
The icons of hip vegan cuisine tackle the heavyweight champ of American dessert: pie. Moskowitz and Romero (Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar, 2009, etc.) are the force behind the fantastic vegan website The Post Punk Kitchen (theppk.com); among their long list of credits, the authors have reinvented both the cupcake and cookie formats for vegan bakers. Here, bursting with an "anyone-can-do-this" approach and a defiant "non-vegans-won't-be-able-to-tell-the-difference" attitude, they provide dozens of recipes for classic fruit pies, cobblers, crisps and cheesecakes. Vegan cooks can look forward to whipping up a pear and cranberry galette that will even have their carnivorous relatives scarfing down a second slice at the next family gathering. Before getting started, the authors concisely cover all the basics, from ingredients to equipment, in the aptly titled chapter "How to Create the Universe or Bake a Pie from Scratch." All the ingredients used are now easily available at most health-food stores or your local Whole Foods. And don't miss the recipes for vegan toppings like "Rad Whip," a vegan version of Cool Whip that will please even the staunchest dairy advocates. More than just a niche guide, this mouthwatering collection of desserts will satisfy even the most reluctant reader.

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Starred review from November 15, 2011

Long before popular vegan chefs Moskowitz and Romero (Veganomicon; Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World) started writing indispensable vegan cookbooks, they were sharing recipes through their website, Post Punk Kitchen (www.theppk.com). Like their other publications, this comprehensive guide to pies contains smart, sassy recipes that embrace rather than work around the vegan diet. Some recipes aren't exactly pie, but few readers will mind seeing Chocolate Galaxy Banana or Blueberry Bliss cheesecakes alongside such tempting offerings as Blackberry Bramble Pie, Salted Maple Pecan Pie, and Chocolate Peanut Butter Tartlets. Expect demand for this book, which vegans will reach for as often as other bakers consult Ken Haedrich's Pie. [New York tour.]

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