Co-founder of the legendary Brother Juniper's Bakery in Sonoma, California, author of the landmark books Brother Juniper's Bread Book and Crust & Crumb, and distinguished instructor at the world's largest culinary school, Peter Reinhart has been a leader in America's artisanal bread movement for over fifteen years. Never one to be content with yesterday's baking triumph, however, Peter continues to refine his recipes and techniques in his never-ending quest for perfect bread. In THE BREAD BAKER'S APPRENTICE, Peter shares his latest bread breakthroughs, arising from his recent pilgrimage to study in several of France's famed boulangeries and the always-enlightening time spent in the culinary academy kitchen with his students. First you'll peer over Peter's shoulder as he learns from Paris's most esteemed bakers, people like the brothers Poilâne and Phillippe Gosselin, whose pain ancienne has revolutionized the art of baguette making. Peter then walks readers through the twelve steps of building great bread, his clear instructions accompanied by over 100 step-by-step photographs. Then it's on to over 50 new master formulas for such classic breads as rustic, chewy ciabatta, hearty pain de campagna, old-school New York bagels, and the book's Holy Grail--Peter's version of the famed pain ancienne. En route, Peter distills hard science, advanced techniques, and food history down into a remarkably accessible and engaging resource that is as rich and multitextured as the loaves you'll turn out. This is original food writing at it most captivating, teaching at its most inspired and inspiring--and the rewards are some of the best breads under the sun.
"A bread baker, like any true artisan or craftsman, must have the power to control outcomes," says Peter Reinhart, author of The Bread Baker's Apprentice. "Mastery comes with practice." As in many arts, you must know and understand the rules before you can break them. Reinhart encourages you to learn the science of bread making, but to never forget that vision and experimentation, not formulas, make transcendent loaves. The Bread Baker's Apprentice is broken into three sections. The first is an amusing tale of Reinhart's visit to France and his discovery of pain à l'ancienne, a cold-fermented baguette. The second section comprises a tutorial of bread-making basics and Reinhart's "Twelve Stages of Bread." And finally, the recipes: Ciabatta, Pane Siciliano, Potato Rosemary Bread, New York Deli Rye, Kaiser Rolls, and Brioche, to name a few. All recipes include bread profiles and ingredient percentages. Reimagined for modern bakers, these mouthwatering classic recipes are bound to inspire. --Dana Van Nest
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 5.0 / 5.0
Beautiful Book Meant for Serious Bakers:
This really is a lovely book with great instructions. If you are looking for quick or last-minute recipes, this is not the source to go to. On the other hand, if you are looking for a great resource book and find making bread that takes 3 days therapeutic, this book is for you.
The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread:
I am taking an Artisan Bread baking course and this book is a great beginning for any novice bread baker. Peter Reinhart explains clearly about the how-to of bread making. The recipes and instructions are easy to understand and follow. Anyone using this book will never buy bread in a store or bakery again. There is nothing like the smell of freshly mixed yeast dough and the aromas in your kitchen once the bread comes out of the oven. There are also simple and delicious recipes for foccacia and pizza. So,... more info
A classic must have if you want to be a truly great bread baker:
First off, that scathing one star review..throw it away. The poster sounds like a person who failed baking school and works in a low quality/mass producing corporate bakery. Now..for a review. This book is a MUST HAVE for anyone who wishes to learn to make great bread. The author explains the process from start to finish with many great tips he learned from years of professional experience. He will show you the way to create bread so good, you will have people ask you what bakery you got it at.more info
Really, quite good.:
I'm not going to make you read a tome just to find out what i think. This book has such a wealth of knowledge to help you improve your bread baking skills. The formula instructions are clear and easy to understand. The only drawbacks that this book brings are in it's quality of publishing. The book was published in China, it is hardcover but, the cover stock used is very weak and flexes under the weight of the book. Just wanted to let you know that the quality of the information surpasses the quality... more info
