Lisa Rayner, a Flagstaff Ariz. author and activist, is pleased to announce the release of her third book, Wild Bread: Hand-baked sourdough artisan breads in your own kitchen. Wild Bread is much more than just another bread cookbook. The book reveals the secrets of baking San Francisco sourdough, crusty French artisan loaves, dense Russian ryes, Italian ciabatta, Indian naan, pita bread, great homemade pizza crusts, soft whole wheat sandwich bread, bagels, sweet doughs, Ethiopian injera crêpes and much more.

This book explores what goes on inside dough as it is transformed from water, flour, wild yeast and probiotic bacteria into the kind of bread that makes your mouth water. You may never be satisfied with ordinary bread again. Once you learn what factors affect aroma, flavor, shape, crust and crumb, you too will be transformed — into an artisan.

Wild Bread encourages your creativity and provides the basic principles you need to bake any bread you desire without needing a recipe. Wild Bread teaches you how to make authentic whole grain sourdough artisan breads that are easy to knead by hand and make in the variable temperatures and humidities of an ordinary kitchen.

Part I explains the science and care of sourdough ecosystems, including how to capture your own sourdough culture from the air and where to buy authentic cultures from around the world. Sourdough cultures composed of wild yeast and lactic acid-producing bacteria. No baker’s yeast or chemical leaveners like baking soda are ever added to real sourdough breads.

Part II explains how to make bread, including how to grind your own wholegrain flours and bake artisan-style breads in a home oven.

Part III contains instructions for making a variety of artisan loaves, flatbreads, pan breads, batter breads, sweet rolls and more—from wheat, rye and gluten-free whole grain flours.

Part IV introduces you to the world of sustainable bread baking, with an exploration of energy-efficient solar cookers and wood-fired earth and brick ovens.

Part V includes a list of commercial sources for authentic sourdough cultures, bread troubleshooting tips, sources for sustainably-produced grains and flours, and books and DVDs on sourdough and artisan bread baking.

Lisa Rayner is the author of Growing Food in the Southwest Mountains, a permaculture guide for home gardeners (3rd ed. 2002) and The Sunny Side of Cooking solar cookbook (2007). She has been interested in cooking ever since she became a vegan more than 20 years ago. Today, she continues to have a passion for learning about food, and she continues to share what she has learned through her books and workshops. Permaculture design and a lifelong interest in renewable energy inform her work.

Wild Bread: Hand-baked sourdough artisan breads in your own kitchen ISBN 978-0-9800608-1-2 Published by Lifeweaver LLC © 2009 170 pp. 8 ½” x 7”. Color cover, black and white illustrations, comb binding $16.95 + $3 shipping and handling. Contact for wholesale prices Order online or pay by check.

For more information on Lifeweaver LLC contact: URL: www.LisaRayner.com e-mail: P.O. Box 22324, Flagstaff, AZ 86002