OP: Cakes and Pies/Pies and Cakes

$20 · Offered by Kitchen Arts & Letters · No longer available

Nitty Gritty Books, Concord, CA, 1978. Paperback. Very Good. One of the charming cookbooks published by Nitty Gritty Productions, Cakes and Pies , or, Pies and Cakes (1978) is a two-in-one baking book: flip the book over to alternate between the pie half and the cake half. At just shy of 90-pages per section, the book offers an approachable number of recipes to liven up a baking slump or to dip a toe in if you’re just trying things out. The pies include a classic apple, key lime, or mince, as well as some surprises like sour cream raisin. You’ll also find a smart section at the rear with snacky suggestions for dough scraps. The cake portion immediately stands out with some uncommon offerings like a golden layer cake filled with pineapple jam and topped with Swiss meringue; banana nut cake and penuche frosting; angel food cake soaked with crème de cacao, finished with whipped cream and shaved chocolate; and marzipan cake, best served with Swedish egg coffee (for which a recipe is also included). Each side is illustrated by a different artist—Craig Torlucci’s Supergraphic-style adorns the cake half and Mike Nelson’s softer, sketchbook style the pie half. Ours is a Very Good paperback (as all Nitty Gritty Productions are) with modest shelfwear. Overall, appealing and whimsical.

• Binding: Hardcover

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