Sweety Pies, Cookbook Addictions and Give-Aways

Sweety Pies and Cookbook Collections
If you've been one of my groupies for any length of time now, you know that once I'm done reviewing a book, I like to give it away and make someone else love me even more! The fact that a cookbook collection just won't fit in our tiny boat also has something to do with that generous outpouring of goodwill as well! In my former life as commercial baker and caterer, I've had in my possession, over 300 cookbooks on my shelves at any given time. Of course, this was when we lived in a 2200 square foot house. Now, our whole boat would probably fit into one of your standard bathrooms or walk-in closets! So, real estate at our place is at a premium!
                                                                              

Suite101 and Publishers
I just did a cookbook review for Suite101 on an amazing book called "Sweety Pies" by Patty Pinner. Actually, it ended up being a total of 3 articles and recipes by the time I was done! The Taunton Press publishers have been a great company to work with. When I first got into this review project, I thought, "OK, this is a pretty nice book and I'd really like to see it and possibly review it."  Well, I gotta tell you, after reading "Sweety Pies" from cover to cover like a novel that can't be put down, I was absolutely in love with the book and won't part with it!

I emailed them and told them what I was doing and would they be interested in sending along another copy for me to use as a Give-Away. "Absolutely" they said and I had it in my hand in 2 days along with 2 others! It's always like Christmas when I get a package of books.
                                                                           

Cookbook Addiction - Not a Pretty Sight!
Maybe you're a little like me. A cookbook isn't just a book of recipes. It's so much more than that. I have a friend over at My Cookbook Addiction that has the exact same problem. There are other bloggers out there, and you know who you are, that have shelves and bookcases groaning under the weight of these mighty tomes of delicious yumminess. And what do we do with all these books? I have been known to caress my favorites, petting the glossy covers as if they were a beloved pet. Sick, for sure, but I suspect I'm not talking to a bunch of cookbook virgins here! If you're still with me, you have the same cookbook addiction most of us in the bizz have. We have serious issues. We need therapy.

Homemade Pies and Personal Recollections
Still, I choose to let them slip from my fingers, clenched as they may be, to a good and loving home. But, all this aside, I could not bring myself to part with Patty Pinner's newest and most luscious cookbook, "Sweety Pies". Each and every one of her 70 homemade pies, comes with a personal story of how the recipe came to be, who it was passed down from and why it means so much to her. This book reads like her personal journal, full of very intimate recollections of the women that influenced her life in some way. I had to laugh out load while in the middle of some, and had tears in my eyes reading others. Patty pulls you into her stories and memories and won't let you go until you can't take any more. Then, as kind as she is, she jots down the recipe, so we can't help ourselves but to go to the kitchen and make whatever the pie it is she's tempting us with.

                                                                           

Sweety Pies cover and Peanut Butter Cream Pie photos by Alexandra Grablewski and used with permission in writing from the publisher, The Taunton Press.

Wait For It, Wait For It, Not Just Yet!
This my dear friends, is the book I'll be sharing with you in the next few weeks. I know, I know, I just got you all hot and bothered for this delightful, have-to-have-it-now book. But, you'll have to wait a little longer as I've just given away two autographed "101 Easy Peasy Cookie Recipes" books. You need to pace yourselves and learn to manage your addiction a little better. I'm here to help you do that.
                                                                            

Flaky Pie Crust and Peanut Butter Cream Pie
Pleeeeease go over to Suite101 and read my review for "Sweety Pies: An Uncommon Collection Of Womanish Observations, With Pie". After you're done with that, the good folks at The Taunton Press gave me permission to use two recipes from the book, one for Flaky Pie Crust and my favorite, Ava Joy's Peanut Butter Cream Pie. Both recipes are just a click away and will keep you hooked for the next Cookbook Give-Away that I'll be announcing very, very soon! Tell all your friends about my sweet, generous and humble self! Talk it up a bit. Lie if you have to. Just get them over here, because as you can see by my photos, it's not just one cookbook I have to give away, there's many more where that came from!
                                                                              

Watch out World, Here I Come!
John and I had a convo about my Cookbook Give-Aways yesterday. I noticed that The Pioneer Woman had just given away a KitchenAid mixer this week and last week it was a Nikon camera and Photosmart printer! John says, "Hey, how come she gets the manufacturers to give-away big things like that and you're only doing cookbooks?"  I said "Give me a year and I'll be giving away mixers too!" I figured she had to start somewhere!  So, watch out my blogosphere peeps! Here I come!

*&%$#@*&$%@%!*&$^@$#!*$%&^#[email protected][email protected]&^*%#*@#&%!#^$%

Just so no one is confused, this is NOT the Give-Away. No, No, Not Just Yet!

Comments

[Cheryl Sims]

Do you think I could be lucky for 2 draws in a row? Let's see if it is possible. This looks like a wonderful cookbook. We love pies better than cakes--the peanut butter one sounds fantastic. So enter me to see how lucky I am, ok? Thanks.
Cheryl Sims

[Kerri aka Fuglies]

oooohhhh I'm the first commenter!!! hehe!!! I love that cheesecake book. You had one like that before! I just made a white chocolate kaluha oreo cheesecake this week. I'm bringing most of it to work, and the rest to Hildie's tonight.

[Donna]

Cheryl-
You never know, right?

Kerri,
You always did have the best teacher!

[Helen]

Ooh you have made this cookbook sound like the best ever! I have finally found someone that understand my obsession with cookbooks! x

[Lori]

Okay I want your job!

This would have to be called my ultimate dream job, reviewing cookbooks.

I have this obsession too. I even have binders and binders of magazine clippings of recipes.

[Lorie]

You are a HUGE tease! Those cookbooks look amazing though!

[michelle @ TNS]

peanut butter custard? i need that book. i need all the books mentioned in this post. i also need a bigger kitchen with more shelf space. good on you for giving your reviewed copies away, i could never do it!

[rainbowbrown]

Ha...A couple of months ago in my philosophy class I over heard a guy telling a girl that he had checked out like 10 books relevent to the class from the library the day before. She goes: Are you going to read all those? and he goes: no I just keep them under my pillow and stroke them and tell them I love them until I have to return them. I smiled because right then I felt a deep connection with this guy. Yeah, I do that with cookbooks and other books. I'm sort of a book fiend. I dug your description of this kind of relationship to books. But book addictions are okay, right?

[HoneyB]

I certainly wouldn't turn away a cookbook! Don't all cooks read them in their leisure time? I know I do!

[Liliana]

I am always ready to add another cookbook to my never ending cookbook collection!

I am waiting for your give-a-away!