I have a zillion (or it seems like) books, mostly pastry and cake oriented, textbooks, and King Arthur Flour. KAF is aimed at the American home baker, which is fine, but I really want a book aimed at the professional with larger quantities, gram measure, maybe less story and more technique.  I see reference to a lot of books I don't have.  The only book I have with real bread is "The Italian Baker" by Carol Field.  I want to buy a bread book, that deals with bread conditioners, gram measure, more than 1 or 2 loaves and scaling, by a Master Bread Baker.   I want to know why something is done and why something is better than something else or what I can use if I don't have it.   In essence.. 2,000 years of bread baking experience in one book under $30.  Maybe this should be in books, but I thought a bread forum would have the people who actually use it. 

Suggestions???

So I have been learning to bake bread.  I did NOT buy a bread machine, which I did consider for a while.  I was thinking about what would be easy, simple, less time consuming.  But when it came down to it, I just didn't like the constraints of a bread machine.  The loaf pans are so small, sometimes square, and the whole paddle thing just leaves me cold.  I had a bread machine when I lived in Germany.  I used it and hated it. It dumbed me down and I never understood the whole process of bread baking.  This made it impossible to troubleshoot or use anything other than the basic settings. 

Now, without a bread machine, I am so happy.  I feel like I have found a new hobby [that hopefully won't make me TOO fat!] and it is very exciting to create such wonderful works of edible art.  The breads that I have made so far, that have been successful, are a half-white, half-wheat loaf that is very nice, and would be great for sandwiches, cinnamon toast, and just about anything else.  The other loaf I have made that needs a bit of work is the artisan bread.  I have managed to get the right size, rise, and color...but need to work on the scoring and taste. 

Next I will try making a huge starter in the fridge and flavor it with some sourdough starter I already have.  Another really interesting thing I am doing, is using the bread mixes I am getting delivered.  Hodgson Mills makes some great mixes, but I don't use them as is.  I use them as additives to my breads for more flavor and the dough conditioning properties.  I could buy dough conditioner, but this is much more fun to experiment!

I also am working with gluten, and this addition is particularly helpful up here in the mountains.  I am at almost 8000 feet, so the high altitude is also a challenge.  But I am figuring it out as I go.

Thats it for now. Will post my recipes soon.

I have been reading the ingredients on breads from bakeries. You can order them like from Boudin in SF. The only list flour, water salt. Is it the starter that is responsible for keeping the freshness? Since there are no conditioners or additives to keep it fresh.