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The Fresh Loaf
Pocket Book of Bread Baking

Now available for Nook [1] or Kindle [2]

Books are where amateur bakers get most of our information about how to bake. We are fortunate, because there are a lot of wonderful bread baking books out there, with new one's coming out each year. Whenever I get a chance to read another bread baking book, I read and review here. There is also a forum for site members to post their book reviews [3]. If I am missing your favorite baking book, please, post something about there! The links to my reviews, each with a teeny synopsis:

  • If you are looking to buy your first artisan baking book, Peter Reinhart's The Bread Baker's Apprentice [4] is it.
  • Jim Lahey's My Bread [5] is praiseworthy and contains no-knead and Italian inspired bread recipes.
  • Daniel Leader's Local Breads [6], though I've never done a full review of it, is one of my favorites for Northern European breads.
  • Ciril Hitz published Baking Artisan Bread [7] in 2008.
  • Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day [8] takes the no-knead technique to a whole new level.
  • Jeffrey Hamelman's Bread: A Baker's Book of Techniques and Recipes [9]. A good book for the advanced baker.
  • Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads [10]. An excellent collection of over 300 bread recipes from around the globe.
  • Beth Hensperger's Bread Bible [11]. Similar in format to Clayton's book. The tone of much of the writing annoys me, but there are some excellent recipes in here.
  • Peter Reinhart's American Pie [12] is a good one if you are interested in pizza.
  • Peter did a Q&A with us about his recent book Peter Reinhart's Whole Grain Bread [13].
  • Eric reviewed Peter Reinhart's first book, The Brother Juniper's Bread Book [14].
  • 6000 Years of Bread [15] is an interesting history of bread.
  • Bread Science: the Chemistry and Craft of Making Bread [16] is an excellent self-published book on the science of bread.
  • Good Bread is Back [17] is an interesting read for a Francophile.
  • Maggie Glezer's A Blessing of Bread: The Many Rich Traditions of Jewish Bread Baking Around the World [18] is an excellent book on Jewish baking traditions and the winner of the 2005 James Beard Award for best baking book.
  • Her previous book, Artisan Baking Across America [19], is a beautiful book and a favorite of many bakers I know.
  • Joe Ortiz's The Village Baker [20] is the book credited with launching the artisan bread movement in America.
  • Finally, I also should mention my e-book, The Fresh Loaf Pocket Book of Bread Baking [21]. Not nearly as comprehensive as Peter's books or the others listed here, but I think it is a nice, economical, unintimidating place for new bakers to get started.

Source URL: http://www.thefreshloaf.com/bookreviews

Links:
[1] http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Fresh-Loaf-Pocket-Book-of-Bread-Baking/Floyd-Mann/e/2940012789808
[2] http://www.amazon.com/Fresh-Pocket-Bread-Baking-ebook/dp/B0058B9CJG/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1309194960&sr=8-5&tag=froglallabout-20
[3] http://www.thefreshloaf.com/forum/15
[4] http://www.thefreshloaf.com/bookreviews/bba
[5] http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/13910/new-book-my-bread
[6] http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0393050556/froglallabout-20
[7] http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/9643/book-review-baking-artisan-breads
[8] http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/5389/artisan-bread-five-minutes-day-discovery-revolutionizes-home-baking
[9] http://www.thefreshloaf.com/bookreviews/hamelmanbread
[10] http://www.thefreshloaf.com/bookreviews/bernardclaytonsnewcompletebookofbreads
[11] http://www.thefreshloaf.com/bookreviews/henspergerbible
[12] http://www.thefreshloaf.com/bookreviews/twopizzabooks
[13] http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/4276/interview-peter-reinhart
[14] http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/16204/brother-juniper039s-bread-bookupdated
[15] http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/24
[16] http://www.thefreshloaf.com/bookreviews/breadscience
[17] http://www.thefreshloaf.com/bookreviews/goodbreadisback
[18] http://www.thefreshloaf.com/bookreviews/ablessingofbread
[19] http://www.thefreshloaf.com/bookreviews/artisanbakingacrossamerica
[20] http://www.thefreshloaf.com/bookreviews/villagebaker
[21] http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/24090/now-available-fresh-loaf-pocket-book-bread-baking