Since 2008, baking instructor Kate McDermott has taught thousands of people how to make pies inside her cozy Port Angeles cottage. What makes McDermott’s classes so popular is her message: Pie, like life, should be simple.

No need to overthink the process or aim for perfection. The self-proclaimed “piechiatrist” shares her philosophy, along with her recipes and techniques, in her first cookbook, Art of the Pie: A Practical Guide to Homemade Crusts, Fillings and Life (The Countryman Press, $35). The book, which is being released October 4, features 12 crust recipes (her secret weapon is leaf lard, a type of fat from a pig), including vegan and gluten-free options, plus fillings ranging from sweet to savory.

The Art of the Pie, released October 4.

Just in time for Thanksgiving entertaining, McDermott is offering a pie camp retreat November 11–13 at the Epicurean Club House in Everett—piechiatry included. Learn more at artofthepie.com.