OP: Cakes and Pies/Pies and Cakes
Shipping calculated at checkout
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.
