Reply #38: Let me add to the list Rose Levy Berenbaum's "The Bread Bible" [View All]

[housewolf]

As with her "Pie Bible" and "Cake Bible", RLB's recipes are masterpieces. (Beth Henspeger also has a "Bread Bible", so be sure to refer to Rose Levy Berenbaum's version).



She's a master at building on other's successes and pushing the flavor envelope even more. Her "every day" loaf and butter rolls are just teriffic, and the recipes and techniques are well-written and easy to understand and follow. Her brioche is magnificant. Plus she gives options as to "regular flavor" method and "full flavor" method if you have the time to strech out the fermentation. It, along with "Crust and Crumb", are my two favorite "go-to bread baking books. Also Dan Leader's "Bread Alone" - it's the book that inspired me into bread baking in the first place. It was 1997 and I was perusing bread baking books at a local book store. Picked up "Bread Alone and as hooked... THAT was the kind of bread I wanted to make! Big crusty, gorgeous crusty loaves with big, open crumb, and great flavor. Never would have believed I could make that kind of bread at home, in a non-commercial oven.

Bread making techniques have evolved since then to where now we have the no-knead breads and ABin5 methods that are thrilling home bakers all across the country, making artisan bread baking more available to home bakers who are on tight schedules, a wonderful thing. There's something SO satisfying about making a great loaf of bread... I'm in agreement with Peter Reinhart in believing that there's something sacred about is as well as nourishing and multiple levels.