andrew's Reviews
Cookbook Reviews
The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread
By Peter Reinhart, Ron Manville
Ten Speed Press - 2001
This is an iconic book. I discovered it almost by accident; one of those Amazon recommendations which, after doing some reading online, I realized was just what I was looking for, as I'd been wanting to start making bread at home for some time.
As the title suggests, the book is an apprenticeship. Put yourself under Peter's authoritative care, listen to what he tells you, and you'll do just fine.
The book is laid out in three sections. The first, "What is it About Bread?" is a personal story - Peter's account of the renaissance in artisan breadmaking in North America and of his winning the James Beard national bread competition in 1995.
The second, "Deconstructing Bread: A Tutorial" is a thorough tutorial on the art of breadmaking.
The final, "Formulas" are his recipes - from bagels, challa and ciabatta all the way to his famous Pain a l'Ancienne and wild yeast cultivation and usage in sourdoughs.
I'm still exploring and learning from this book, and I know I'll continue to do so for years.