Bluewater Ranch Books came into being in 1998 with the first book, The Secret to Tender Pie, America's Grandmothers Share Their Favorite Recipes, published by Ballantine Books. Tender Pie went on to become a Los Angeles Times Book Review bestseller and was favorably reviewed in the national press.
Our good fortune with The Secret to Tender Pie is consistent with the vision of Bluewater Ranch Books; to associate itself with the finest niche publishing projects and bring them to the marketplace. In addition to the momentum garnered by The Secret to Tender Pie, Bluewater Ranch is developing a TV series based on the book.
Bluewater Ranch Books, in association with The William Saroyan Foundation, also published Five Ripe Pears, a book based on a Saroyan short story, illustrated by artist and noted art conservator, Joseph Goldyne. It currently resides in the Stanford University Archives.
Praise for The Secret to Tender Pie
- "Comfort-food lovers will drool over this quaint, handsome and high-cal collection of favorite recipes from grandmothers across America."
— Paula Chun, People Weekly
- "It's a compilation of family photos and personal histories, lovingly shared among the generations. t's a lot like looking through a family scrapbook with the recipes tucked in."
— Sue Sherman, Tempo
- "Tender Pie is casting director Mindy Marin's compilation of recipes for Grandma's old-fashioned comfort food."
— In Style Magazine
- "A valentine to the grandmothers of the world."
— LA Times Newsbites
- "Grandmothers' cuisine lives on in grandchildren's memories more for the affection expressed through the food than for the cooking itself."
— Mark Knoblauch, Washington Post.
- "This book strikes at the heart from the moment the dedication page appears from author Mindy Marin: ‘For my grandma, Bessie Cecil.'"
— Craig Reem, OC Metro
- "The little book is a treasure from a time when fast food hadn't been invented and love was a main ingredient."
— Julie Muhlstein, Everett Washington Herald
- "This is a book that celebrates two of life's treasures: grandmothers and good cooking."
— Knight-Ridder news service