What could be better than a fresh summer pie brimming with sweet ripe fruit, or a steaming chicken pot pie? Baking a homemade pie from scratch is surprisingly easy with Julie Hasson's guidance, and the results are rewarding.

The Complete Book of Pies is like having your grandmother in the kitchen with you. The entire pie-making process is covered in easy-to-follow detail from start to finish. The book is filled with hundreds of recipes for fruit, cream and savory pies along with dozens of special tips and time-saving shortcuts to help make pie-baking a breeze. There are tips for making dough and rolling it; ideas for decorative pie tops; and quick and easy alternatives to pastry dough.

These luscious recipes are among the many that are sure to please:

• Apple cranberry spice crumb pie, brown sugar apple pie with almond crumb topping
• Blueberry pie, boysenberry pie, bumbleberry crumb pie, peach pie, sour cherry pie
• White chocolate key lime pie, chocolate cream pie, butterscotch cream pie, coconut cream pie
• Chocolate chip pecan pie, rum pecan pie, chocolate truffle tart, chocolate peanut butter mousse pieCaramelized onion, thyme and olive tart, quiche lorraine, chicken pot pie with mushrooms and leeks.

Both the novice and experienced baker will benefit from the author's extensive baking expertise. Sixteen pages of color photographs and extensive illustrations provide baking guidance and inspiration. The Complete Book of Pies is a basic reference for any home baker.