Is it possible for a book to glow
with inner light? Holding The Bread Baker's Apprentice in our
hands, we believe that a book can possess aura. Author Peter Reinhart's
reverence for bread gleams in every carefully wrought recipe; respect
shows in each of Ron Manville's beautiful photographs. Quite simply,
this is a magnificent book, one that belongs on every shelf.
Reinhart is a baking instructor
at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. His ability
to teach is evident in his preliminary chapters, gathered under the
heading "Deconstructing Bread: A Tutorial." He guides the
reader to an understanding of the equipment used, and analyzes both
methods and ingredients. He tells us why he prefers instant yeast and
why spray oil works best on dough. He goes on to explain the twelve
stages of bread which he calls "Evoking the Fulness of Flavor from
the Grain." Once he has grounded us, we are
ready for the recipes, and what wonderful recipes they are. Reinhart
gives us meticulous recipes for the breads we love the most, from ciabatta,
the Italian bread with the large air holes, to cinnamon buns, focaccia,
classic French bread, panettone, pizza, sourdough breads and many others.
There are three brioche recipes which Reinhart humorously calls 'rich
man's brioche,' 'middle-class brioche,' and 'poor man's brioche,' each
title an indication of the amount of butter used.
If you love making bread this book
is for you. If you wish you could make bread, this book is for you.
If you are afraid of making bread, you can lose your fear - this book
is for you, too. Bread - the staff of life. For all of us.
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