Product Description

The marriage of textures and flavours, colours and aromas make tarts the most satisfying of foods to make and eat. Tarts, tourtes, quiches, tartelettes, the myriad variants of both form and content, are celebrated in this collection of ninety tarts for all seasons and all occasions. Classical, historical and modern tarts are all included, as are the childhood experiences of making jam tarts, eating them bubbling hot from the oven and invariably searing one's mouth in the haste to devour them. The Doucet Tart, enjoyed by Chaucer and the court of Henry IV, with its intoxicating marriage of honey and saffron, will surprise even the most sophisticated palate, as will the rich, delicate perfection of Tamasin's Souffled Crab Tart and the ambrosial Peach, Vanilla and Amaretti Tarte Tatin. From the most classic of tarts, the Quiche Lorraine and the Strawberry Tart, to the airy heights of a Tomato and Prosciutto Tart on a puff pastry base, anyone can bake a tart, and everyone will enjoy cooking their way through this book.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #334768 in Books
• Published on: 2003-09-11
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 160 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
Tart, torte, quiche, whatever you call it, encountering the choicest, freshest ingredients smugly contained in buttery-crisp pastry is pure pleasure. But given the image of pastry as something to be "mastered" it is unsurprising that what was the starting point of cookery fundamentals (remember those jam tarts at school?) has become more intimidating and ironically, not something to be attempted at home. What Tamasin Day-Lewis does here is not so much debunk the pastry mystique as present recipes so delectable that the skill of pastry making seems one very much worth acquiring.

Starting with savoury tarts; Quiche Lorraine makes a welcome return, a holy trinity of cream, eggs and bacon so simple yet sumptuous when made properly. There's no mention of the dreary "low fat option" anywhere here. Double cream, eggs and butter reign supreme alongside fresh ingredients in tarts such as "Smoked Haddock and Watercress Tart" or "Spinach and Anchovy". The cheekily entitled section "Other People's Tarts" includes recipes lovingly plundered from the likes of Nigel Slater and Lindsey Bareham, the most decadent Chocolate Tart coming from Simon Hopkinson's classic cookbook Roast Chicken and Other Stories.

The sweet tart section contains some traditional treats; Bakewell and Treacle Tarts alongside more unusual offerings. A "Roast Fig and Honey Tart with Cointreau", which is aptly introduced as a "beauteous and sluttish, Fall of the Roman Empire kind of pudding". Author Tamasin Day-Lewis writes on food for Saturday's Telegraph and Food Illustrated and here her style is anecdotal and nicely familiar. In many places she mixes the good sense of Nigella Lawson with an entertaining effusion rather reminiscent of the Two Fat Ladies;

I always make a hubcap-sized version rather than the normal tart-sized one because everybody in my family eats gargantuan slices of it and if there is any left it is whittled away sneakily on the day. This is not a tart to be served up the following day, tiredly, pinkily soggy; it simply doesn't work. Just eat lots of it."

The Art of the Tart is a superb collection of recipes, but get the oven warm and the rolling pin and pastry tins ready--you'll be seized with a desire to use them the minute you start reading--Rachel O'Connor

About the Author
Tamasin Day-Lewis is one of Britain's finest food writers, to be ranked along with Nigel Slater and Simon Hopkinson. She writes an avidly followed column for Saturday's TELEGRAPH and COUNTRY HOMES AND INTERIORS, and is a regular contributor to VANITY FAIR and VOGUE. She has just completed her first cable television series, TAMASIN'S WEEKENDS.

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Customer Reviews

Inspiring!
This is a little book, not your usual cookery book size. Hence, everythinginside is that much smaller - but don’t let that put you off. Despite thesize, it is packed with some wonderful tarts and tartlets - sweet andsavoury.
I personally prefer the sweet section although the Monkfish Tart withBéarnaise and the Spinach and Anchovy Tart from the savoury chapter areparticularly noteworthy.
The sweet tarts are mouth-wateringly marvellous. I love the Lemon MeringuePie with just the right tangy sweetness, the Treacle Tart with awholemeal crust strikes the perfect balance of heavenly and healthy, theButterscotch Tart will leave your taste buds reeling and, my favourite,White Chocolate Tart with Raspberries is so lusciously divine.
Tamasin Day-Lewis advocates the use of all things organic. You shouldn’tworry if you can’t comply - the results are just as good - but make sureyou religiously follow her instructions on how to make the perfect crust.A good crisp crust makes all the difference.
My only complaint - the small font makes it difficult to read the recipeswhile in a hurry in the kitchen. But still, it’s a small price to pay forthe pleasure of these naughty tarts!

If you like Nigella, you'll love this book
I can't believe I never discovered this book before! Like Nigella (of whom I am an absolute fan), Tamsin makes you want to rush into the kitchen and cook as many tarts, tortes and quiches as possible. Beautifully photographed, each recipe simply begs to be lovingly prepared and savoured. Pastry has never seemed so easy and Tamsin, like Nigella, makes you feel as if there are no culinary bounds. Her style of writing makes you feel as if she is there with you to enjoy the moment when the tart comes out of the oven, gloriously steaming hot and filling the kitchen with wonderful aroma. This is an excellent book, beautifully written, a dinner party must-have and I feel as if I've discovered a great gem. You simply must buy it!

Tart Heaven!
My family and I love enjoy quiches and tarts very much. They are so easy and practical, as you can make them ahead and reheat them. I usually made them using ready-made pastry, because my attempts at making my own were always a bit laboursome, it was always a bit difficult to roll the pastry and not to tear it, and somehow it was always a bit undercooked (maybe that was due to the fact that I used rice instead of baking beans, but now I have bought them). Those times are over! Now I can make perfect, crisp and tender pastry in seconds, using the food processor and the best part is that it rolls in a breeze! I don't know what was wrong with my method, but now that I have this recipe I don't even think of buying ready-made pastry anymore.
The recipes for the different fillings are wonderful, too. We have found great quiches that we love to have for dinner. You should absolutely try Spinach and Anchovy Tart it is delicious!
I haven't tried any of the sweet ones yet, but I am sure that they will be tasty too.
Buy this book, you will not be disappointed.