First Things First—Pastry

Turn the pages of this Cookbook—cooking adventure and success are that near. For with pie, it’s pastry first, and the next chapter is all about pastry. Master the making of pie crusts and you’ve won more than half of the victory in achieving perfect pies. When you’re proud of the traditional and oil pastry you make, branch out and try some of the marvelous specialties in this chapter—like cheese, orange, egg, cornmeal and peanut pastry. And when you’re making a lemon pie, do use the pastry designed especially for pies made with sunny, citrus fruit. Make many kinds of crusts, not only those with graham cracker crumbs. Use those made with coconut, cereals, nuts, cookie dough and pretzels, for instance, and the light, crunchy-crisp meringues.