The Bread Bible
by Rose Levy Beranbaum
|
List Price: Our Price: $21.28 You Save: $13.72 (39%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Buy Used: from $19.84 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of The Bread Bible
Book Review: very good, but ...
Summary: 4 Stars
I have been baking bread for a very long time, and my collection of bread books is large. While I have not baked a large number of recipes from this volume, I have tried a few. The results are very tasty. I do like the slow techniques she uses as well as the advice on where the process can be refrigerated.I find that the amount of liquid tends to be a little low, at least when measuring the flour (recommended brands only) by weight in all of the ones I have tried. This is not a serious defect for myself, but it could be a problem for a less experienced baker.
My larger complaint is the index. When browsing to find a recipe, it is difficult to find the recipe from the index since it is listed under the type of bread rather than the name of the bread. Perhaps the index was shortened to fit the pages, but a more extensive index would have improved this book.
Book Review: a lot of unusual advantages in this book
Summary: 5 Stars
I bake a fair amount of bread, and I have made some especially good ones from this book. But using this book requires a certain mindset about bread, willingness to plan ahead and be flexible and patient. It's possible that the kind of attitude you need for this book is something that develops with bread baking experience. Most people are probably better off starting with Beard on Bread.
The recipes do tend to run small, as in only one loaf. But I consider this a good thing since in a two person household I mostly end up halving bread recipes anyway. Also the measurements are given in almost hilarious detail. Personally I just ignore them -- down to the half ounce is more than precise enough for me. But she gives a lot of explanatory detail that is useful and interesting, and not found elsewhere. I do recommend this book.
Book Review: Deserves the word "Bible" in its title
Summary: 5 Stars
As an owner of The Cake Bible, The Pie & Pastry Bible and Rose's Holiday Cookies, I wasn't surprised by the excellence of this book. Rose's clear explanations of the science of baking are helpful & allow the reader to experiment. I noticed on her website that she offers corrections (errata)for all of her books, which has also been helpful (there really weren't very many uber boo-boos). I appreciate the consistency with which she presents recipes, and the initial desciptions of technique at the beginning of the book. The section on sourdough is especially thorough. For those afraid of yeast doughs, the quick breads in this book are phenomenal. I have given them out as holiday gifts many times to the great pleasure of my friends (the apple-cinnamon surprise is buttery deliciousness, and there's a great chocolate quick bread, too).Book Review: 3 Stars Is Pushing It A Bit
Summary: 2 Stars
WOW! I'm not sure how to begin this review. First, the book is quite heavy (literally) and there is just soooo much information, that myself as a home cook/baker just was overwhelmed. I love to bake bread but I really have been doing fine without all the scientific stuff. The ingredient and equipment list would cost a small fortune. The author obviously does not live on a middle income or less yearly budget. Some recipes she says to use Gold Medal flour or bleached, others she says Hecker's ONLY, and others she says White Lily and still others she says unbleached! I don't have that kind of room in my kitchen. And if I had the All-Clad pans and clay pans she uses, I'd have someone else baking for me! I was disappointed, you may not be. I bought this book for a good deal through my book club, but I will not be keeping it.Book Review: Bread baking class - in a book!
Summary: 5 Stars
I had virtually no bread baking experience before I purchased this book. I was not looking for a book of recipes, but one to help me understand the process - so that I could explore and that is what this book does. After a quick read-through of the overview chapters. I made breads from each of the sections. Each one has turned out beautifully! I was not really expecting that. But by my third bread I was feeling pretty confident... but I was ill while I was making my fourth. I did practically everything "wrong". Since I had read the chapters on techniques though, I did not panic. And even though I added the salt too late, let the rise go too long, and forgot to lower the oven heat until much later than I was supposed. The bread came out delicious!! Rose, thank you so much for this class on bread-baking in a book!