Tag Archives: bread

Book Reviews, Food

Book Review: The Bread Baker’s Apprentice, 15th Anniversary Edition: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread, by Peter Reinhart

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The Bread Baker's Apprentice, 15th Anniversary EditionThose who know me well know that I love grains. A lot. Rice, pasta, and bread are staples in the Durough home, and we don’t necessarily need anything else with them. So, I actually got a little giddy when I saw Peter Reinhart’s The Bread Baker’s Apprentice, 15th Anniversary Edition: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread was being published (my wife can affirm), and I’m pretty sure I immediately said a quick prayer that there would still be at least one review copy remaining by the time I was able to get it. Sure enough, two were available and I snagged it as fast as I could.

Honestly, given that Reinhart has published several bread books since this one was first published in 2001, I assumed this 15th anniversary edition would be much more than a virtual reprint. I don’t much care for Reinhart’s writing and storytelling, but am appreciative of the details and information specific to bread making. This is certainly beautiful with both helpful and appetizing full-color photographs, but I did expect more in the way of formulas (the term used in lieu of “recipes” because they are quite literally treated as scalable formulas for both home and large scale bakery use). Perhaps the author doesn’t consider them proper breads, but an entire category is missing that, I believe, should be included in any thorough bread book: unleavened. Again, with a book as great and popular as it is, I assumed there would be more additions to this edition. I’d also like to have seen an appendix that included all the helpful charts and such found throughout the book, which are otherwise not quickly found.

Just two years after The Bread Baker’s Apprentice was first published, Rose Levy Beranbaum’s The Bread Bible came out in 2003. That massive tome is a must-have bread book, useful for both homes and bakeries. It doesn’t have glossy photos, but the sketches are just as good and helpful. Since Reinhart’s update isn’t much of an update, I’d still go with The Bread Bible. That does not, however, mean the book at hand is undeserving of praise—it is, but at twice the price I’m not sure it’s worth it.

 

*I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Book Reviews, Food

Book Review: The Hot Bread Kitchen Cookbook: Artisanal Baking From Around the World, by Jessamyn Waldman Rodriguez

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The Hot Bread Kitchen CookbookJessamyn Waldman Rodriguez is the founder and CEO of Hot Bread Kitchen, originally established in New York City to help immigrant women get established, learn a trade, and prepare them to move on into their own businesses and/or culinary endeavors. The Hot Bread Kitchen Cookbook: Artisanal Baking From Around the World is a culminating work of all these bakers, including bread recipes from their respective cultures of origin, as well as other recipes that often go alongside the bread recipes (e.g., hummus for pita, carnitas for tortillas, iced Vietnamese coffee with bahn mi, etc.). Unleavened breads to stuffed pastries; this is a treasure chest of recipes from around the world unlike any other bread book I’ve found thus far.

For those interested in more about the story and bakers of Hot Bread Kitchen, there are spotlights on individuals who have provided specific recipes and significant contributions to the company, which lends a much appreciated authenticity to the book and brings the reader into HBK’s story and mission.

What I appreciate most in the book’s organization are the references to other recipes and their respective locations therein. For example, many recipes call for a pâte fermentée to begin the fermentation process, for which there is a recipe in the book to which all other relevant recipes point. The same goes for many recipes that build on the foundation of a particular type of dough. Rather than unnecessarily replicating the recipe over and over or requiring the reader to search for it in an index, all are referenced. This also applies to relevant tips and means of procuring some hard to find ingredients. Basically, there’s an embedded map to keep the reader from getting lost.

The biggest drawback I found, which isn’t necessarily that bad if the text can be reasonably followed, is found in sequential photographs intended to demonstrate some method. They are virtually unhelpful due to a step missing, poorly organized, or simply ill captured in a way that would make sense to someone who doesn’t regularly work with these steps (which would be anyone for whom they are provided). The most obvious of these examples is that of braided challah bread, where there are several photos demonstrating how to fold two lengths of dough over one another from an “x” shape immediately to a fully braided and tucked shape. There’s definitely something missing there.

Overall, I think it’s a wonderful book that will definitely benefit those who want a culturally eclectic collection of bread recipes rather than one particular type or one that uses one particular flour base.

 

*I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Book Reviews, Food

Book Review: Einkorn: Recipes for Nature’s Original Wheat, by Carla Bartolucci

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EinkornGerman for “single grain,” einkorn is considered to be the oldest form of cultivated wheat. While researching ways to alleviate her daughter’s life-altering food allergies, Carla Bartolucci discovered this ancient, unadulterated grain and began working with it to cook a multitude of foods in hopes that her daughter could not only endure, but also enjoy her food. It worked. Without years of hybridization genetic modifications, einkorn has stayed virtually the same. Though it provides lower yields and more work than other grains, it’s heartier and healthier.

In Einkorn: Recipes for Nature’s Original Wheat, Carla first provides her family’s background, what lead her to einkorn, and a brief history and explanation of the grain, comparing and contrasting it to others, as well as the differences in how einkorn is to be worked with in the kitchen. She then provides ninety-five detailed and easy to understand recipes from simple breads to desserts to empanadas! Most recipes are accompanied by some incredible photography by Clay McLachlan, which may just inspire you to cook long before looking over a recipe! The form of the book is just as beautiful as its intended function.

I only have two complaints about the book, and they are minor. First, Carla uses some baking terminology at the beginning of the book without explaining them. For those who are brand new, they’ll need to look these up elsewhere; however, I doubt this is a book people will rush to who have never worked with bread before, so this may be a moot point. I do think, however, that books like this could and should be those first, go-to books, which is why I would like to see some things further explained for the complete beginner. Second, it would have been helpful to have an estimated timeframe from start to finish for each recipe somewhere below the name and list of ingredients. As it is, one really does need to read each recipe to figure out which foods make sense with one’s schedule and preferences.

As it is, this functions as both a great cookbook and a coffee table / conversation starting book. Kudos to Carla for introducing many of us to einkorn; I look forward to working with it myself!

 

*I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Book Reviews, Theology

Book Review: Jesus, Bread, and Chocolate: Crafting a Handmade Faith in a Mass-Market World, by John J. Thompson

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Jesus, Bread, and ChocolateIn Jesus, Bread, and Chocolate: Crafting a Handmade Faith in a Mass-Market World, John J. Thompson takes the reader on his journey into artisanship through bread, chocolate, coffee, beer, gardening, and music-making. Throughout, he uses handmade vs. mass-produced as a metaphor for how we are (or are not, as the case may be) being Jesus’ disciples. A resident of East Nashville (or East Nasty [shout out to my old peeps!]) and world traveller, Thompson has had the privilege of experiencing (and being spoiled by) some of the best the handmade world has to offer. I admit, though I already make my own bread, it made me want to stop eating white bread. Will I? Probably not. It also made me want to stop using sugar and cream in my coffee. Will I? Probably not. And though I don’t drink alcoholic beverages, it even made me think about what it’d be like to try a microbrew (certainly not any of the mass-produced stuff I think smells like horse pee). The point being, it’s a good read, and I learned a lot about what it takes to make and appreciate some really beautiful things. But that’s not all: it also made me consider how I relate to my creator and others in service to the King. Of course, one may always have questions and push back against the author (he admits that there is good in the mass-produced), but if one refrains from being pulled in the direction of criticism (like that the book is mass-produced by Zondervan and not by a small publishing team that had it printed or handwritten on handmade paper or parchment!) and engages with him in the point he’s trying to make, I think it can be quite helpful. (All analogies break down at some point, but I do think potential rebuts against his handmade vs. mass-produced points often fail when attempted to be made in relation to our discipleship.)

Here’s a taste:

Christians, especially evangelicals like me, often like to pulverize the gospel into small, fine, easy-to-digest particles. But if our creed can fit on a bumper sticker, we’re doing it wrong. I believe this is a by-product of our well-intentioned and laudable desire to be understandable and relevant to our peers. In the process, however, we risk turning the Bread of Life into a Twinkie. At some point, the essence of the thing we are trying to sweeten is compromised beyond usability. This processed, refined gospel feels good going down, but when the energy buzz wears off, we are left with nothing but a headache. No white-bread gospel can satisfy the deep hunger of the human heart. (68)

Boom!

Enjoy.

 

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”