Michel Suas' Advanced Bread and Pastry Book

HMirlitti,

If you look in the text there is a Formula footnote after "some" of the formulas that explains the TEST column.  For example, if you look on page 186 - BAGUETTE, SHORT MIX, STRAIGHT - has the following: 

Yielld  13 (12 oz (0.35 kg)) loaves

Test    2 1/2 (12 oz (0.35 kg)) loaves

I was not able to find an explicit explanation of the columns, but I would believe he is making it easy for a commercial baker to "test" a formula by providing this column so he/she does not have to perform any math to determine a small quantity batch.  A nice side effect is that this also provides the home baker a nice batch size to use too.

It would have been nice to define the columns when the topic of formulas were first addressed.  Hope this helps.

Ben

HMirlitti,

I've baked quite a few of the recipes/formulas from Suas' AB&P.  As I recall, most, if not all of his test formulas make a 2 lb loaf.  I usually double his test formula and make two - 2 lb loaves.  I really like this book very much.  There are a couple of breads in this book that I believe are excellent.  The first is Swiss Mountain Bread on page 223.

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/9054/michel-suas039-mountain-bread-switzerland-advanced-bread-and-pastry

Another that I really like is Pain Meunier on page 254. 

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/9510/michel-suas039-pain-meunier-advanced-bread-and-pastry

FWIW. AB&P is a great baking book, but I think it's oriented more toward professonal bakers than home bakers.  That being said, there's no reason a proficient home baker can't use and thoroughly enjoy this book.

Howard