This is the only bread baking book that I can think of that both the complete beginner and the little experienced will use. If you are short on time and would like to know what is the EASIEST way to make REAL bread, then this is the book for you. You won't find any shortcuts or anything like that but it truly is incredibly easy to make ANYTHING from this book.

It doesn't go deep into technique but it teaches you just enough technique to make the recipes in this book, only. It's very thorough actually for such a small book.

It's also very usable, I have tried 4 of the recipes and they were all good. Used the formulas at the back to use specific amount of flour, and I can easily tell you that there are no errors whatsoever.

As a somewhat experienced baker (by now), I can tell you that this book does not provide the ULTIMATE result if you're used to very high quality bread, but nothing in the supermarket would even come close to its quality. As Reinhart said, "every day". It's the type of bread you'd like to eat on a daily basis.

Plus, I like the idea of making the dough at night, popping it in the fridge, and then making it at any time you want within 4 days.

If you have a stand mixer, this will definitely be the easiest bread book you'll ever use. If you don't, don't worry, it would still be easy, as Reinhart provides instructions for making dough by hand as well. This is actually one of the rare bread baking books that don't ask for a lot of equipment.

The five chapters are:
1- Baking Basics (must-read if you have never made bread in your life).
2- Sourdough and Wild Yeast Fundamentals (Not very detailed but detailed enough for the lay man)
3- French Breads and Sourdough Hearth Breads (Yay, you get to use the starter that you made!)
4- Enriched Breads (Breads that contain oil/eggs/sugar...etc)
5- Rich Breads (Breads that are high in fat, relatively, and used in making sweet stuff).

Would recommend it.


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Great book. Great recipes. ( )

Great book. Great recipes. ( )

I know... I'm still reading it and I've given it a rating. But I couldn't help it... I'm halfway through and I LOVE this book. Another book I got a few years ago - Crust, by Richard Bertinet - introduced me to the idea that you can make your dough one day and let it sit for a few days in the fridge before using it. For the past ten years, I make all my own pizza dough, and this is usually the way I make it.

Artisan Breads explores - and explains - that very method, along with others of course. I can't wait to try some of these recipes! As a freelance illustrator, and mother of two teens (yes, I'll accept all sympathy in the form of a cold beer, thanks) time is precious but I still want decent food for my family and myself.

And making bread is very... zen, if I may say so. Beat the crap out of dough and tension is gone. Well, KNEAD the crap out of it.

Anyway, this is definitely a book I'll return to, and now I really want his pizza book! Dang it. ( )

Great book, Reinhart just keeps getting better and better. These are almost fail proof recipes and once you get into the trick of planning that 15 minutes of time a day or so ahead of needing the bread, really easy. Everybody should make bread just once in their lives (although it can be so much fun as to be addictive) and this book will take you there. ( )