Peter Reinhart

I love it when a baker can wax poetic about bread, and Reinhart definitely can. He's passionate about bread, and it shows in the preface, introduction, and two substantial chapters that fills up over 100 pages we get to read through before even getting to the formulas. The deconstruction section is especially interesting as far as the science and nitty-gritty of the grains and mechanics go. Even if you don't care for that stuff, the formulas are clear and fully explained. A really fantastic addition to any food reference collection.… (more)

This is the book to choose first, if you are looking for a reference for bread-making especially with an emphasis on incorporating whole grains and manipulating pre-fermentation techniques. Straightforward instructions, with a wide array of recipes to address all the hearth and artisanal breads you might want to try.

Sections on pre-fermentation and autolyse are well-explained. Side column commentary makes it easy to see where tips and minor instructions can be managed. I especially liked the clear tabulation of ingredients as volume, ounces and my preference, grams. The tables also facilitated recalculating ingredients, based on personal preference, keeping the baker's percentages balanced for the basics (F-W-S-Y). Recommended for those less experienced in basic home bread baking yet, highly appropriate for the experienced baker to kick up their talents a notch or more.… (more)