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A customer just finished reading this book and its atop my must read list. Interesting since its 60 years old! From what the customer relayed to me, I'm anxious to give a modern read to this aged writing. From amazon: Whomever is going to get it for me for the holidays, paperback will be fine [note: The amazon description shows it from 1997, but my customer said it was written in the 40s]

Is there such a thing as a dense, hearty, whole grain bread made without the need for all the kneading, rising time associated with many breads? Something like a whole wheat into which one can add nuts or other ingredients, maybe let it sit a bit, and then bake? I sort of remember some breads like that from the "old" days - maybe some recipes from Moosewood or Mollie Katzen? I'd like to make something to go with a good veggie soup or broth on cold winter days. Any recipes, suggestions, or pointers would be welcome and appreciated. shel

Here's a question for all you food chemistry eggheads: If the goal is sturdiness and long shelf life (unaided by non-edible support structures), not taste, then what aspect of a gingerbread house dough recipe is most important? Submitted for your approval are a collection of multifarious recipes, all of which are reputed to be the perfect concoction for making gingerbread houses: 1.) Teresa Layman's Recipe (Author of Gingerbread for All Seasons) http://www.vegsource.com/talk/veganism/messages/953365.html 2.) Deni's Deluxe Dough (Top 10 finalist at the Grove Park Inn National Gingerbread House Competition) http://home.comcast.net/~frankysattic/denidough.htm 3.) Christina Banner's Recipe (Grand Prize winner of the GPI competition and Food Network Challenge winner) http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/re...6_32442,00.html 4.) Elizabeth Prioli's Recipe (Grand Prize winner of the GPI competition) http://www.cottageliving.com/cottage/food/...1127969,00.html 5.) Good Housekeeping Recipe ("Nettie's Gingersnap Dough" printed year after year in the annual Christmas issue) http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/recipefind...read-dough-1571 6.) Pastry Chef Central ("The finished baked items will not absorb moisture nor become dry and brittle!") http://www.pastrychef.com/Gingerbread-House_ep_105.html But what is it that really makes one recipe superior to another? Are the specific ingredients used the most important element for success, or is it the ratios of those ingredients to each other? Or, is the mixing method the key to success? One recipe claims honey outlasts molasses, some recipes use margarine not shortening, some use eggs and some don't. Some recipes use roughly equivalent amounts, by weight, of fat and sugar, others use more sugar than fat. One recipe uses very little viscous sweetener, while others use a lot. Some recipes cream the fats and sugars like regular cookie dough, others melt the fats with the syrup/sugar and still another recipe skips this step altogether and uses oil. Based on your knowledge of baking chemistry, what is paramount to gingerbread house success? Is it the specific ingredients used, the ratios utilized, or the mixing method? Or am I barking up the wrong tree altogether? Does it all come down to environmental conditions (humidity) or technique (architecturally sound house design, coating the gingerbread with royal icing, or using an edible fixative, etc.)? Looking forward to this discussion! E.

I'm a pastry chef more into plated desserts, but my new job requires baking lots of different breads and developing recipes for multiple locations. I have a couple of recipes that use a biga starter that are successful, but I'm concerned about consistency using the biga day 1 vs. day 3. I've been trying to get a sourdough starter going, but this morning I decided it wasn't happening and threw it away. My question is, can I just use the biga as a jumping-off point for sourdough and feed it? Can/should I add old biga to the fresh batch to enhance the flavor, or should I stick with making a fresh biga every 3 days? Making it fresh seems to work fine, I'm just looking for ways to make better bread. I do add yeast to the breads also, and although I would like to do a slow rise, space and educating my staff are issues, so I'm depending on the pre-fermented starter to add complexity. If I do get a sourdough starter going, is there any point in keeping both sourdough and biga starters, or is one enough? I'm inclined to just use one, unless there's a compelling reason to keep two cambros of fermenting goo in my reach-in. Thanks! Andrea

I'm fully dipping shortbread in tempered chocolate, but for every batch that I make, a few finished ones develop blotches of a fatty film on the bottom. It seems like fat from the butter is leaking out from the cookie. It usually happens at a weak point in the chocolate coating, but there's sometimes no discernible point of exit. Any ideas how this could be prevented? The shortbread is made with very soft butter, salt, sugar, and flour, and baked until golden brown. It's a crunchy shortbread. I've tried pre-coating the cookie in untempered chocolate b/c I thought that maybe the tempered chocolate was contracting too strongly directly on the cookie... but it didn't make a difference. Neither did baking them the night before, and putting them on paper towels to soak up some fat. Maybe some sort of starch would help? I want to keep it as crunchy as possible, though...

With the sudden closing of ecco il pane, I'm at a loss as to where to purchase good par baked bread. Does anyone have a favourite they use / buy? Any brands you dislike? thanks...

Greetings board, Are there any places where I can buy Cuban bread either in Morris or northern Essex counties? I live in Roseland and would love to occassionally pick up some Cuban bread for sandwiches but don't feel like making the trek into Union City. Suggestions?

We have a brand new oven. A GE profile, dual fuel with convection. I baked some cookies with the convection feature and they came out great. I was hesitant to bake a loaf of bread using the convection feature though. I'm not sure why, I thought it might deflate it or dry it out. What do you think? Yes or No?

I recently was made aware of something called Fairy Bread. Basically its bread with butter and sprinkled with Jimmies or Sprinkles. Usually its the hard round sprinkles. But I adore it with the soft long jimmies. Its kids Birthday Party fare in Oz. Why isnt Fairy Bread in the USA? Its unfathomable why the Soccer Moms in the USA havent taken Fairy Bread and expanded upon it and opened Fairy Bread shops, with special breads and Jimmies etc... Its absolutely gorgeous on a plate, piled high... Look: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Fairy_Bread.jpg Come on people lets bring Fairy Bread to the states!

I recently came back from Hamberg where I ate some of the most amazing breads I've ever tasted. I want to find a book that will describe and tell me how to make these breads. I I'm not real interested in pastry but breads and rolls that are savory. Any and all ideas will be pursued, Thanks. Robert

After ordering and receiving a brotform, I've decided to buy some cane and make my own. I also am going to make some linen lined baskets as bread rising baskets. Now I found an idea for a homemade cloche made from a terracotta flower pot, tray, eyebolt, nuts, and some washers. If my bread made in it doesn't suit me I can plant some herbs. http://home.att.net/~carlsfriends/carlospi...tisanalLoaf.htm I've built dozens of kilns for ceramics - now to convince myself to build a woodfired oven on my patio.

I am having a throng of people for thanksgiving. I am making my own bread but there are some people coming with very plain tastes and I want to put out an assortment of rolls, bread on the table. I cannot find a place to get very good bread out in Chesco. We have a few road trips to the airport to make on Wed before. So up Route 1 and 95 would be great. Is there no bread this way? Help Help!!!

I have a friend who was recently informed me that he had to cut back on his sodium intake. And his biggest regret? Having to cut back on the breads. And since I do have a love for the breads, I told him that I would help him tweak his aunt's bread recipe. I know that salt plays two important roles in breadmaking: 1) Flavor ... no salt bread just tastes flat 2) Controls fermentation So, my basic question is this ... if I reduce the salt by, say, 50% in my recipe, would I reduce the amount of yeast needed by that amount, too? Anyone have any experience in doing reduced-sodium breads? Also, is there something I can use in place of salt that could also help to reduce the amount of sodium, but still keep the flavor?

I would like to know if there is an "official" definition of Artisan?

I have baked bread occasionally, but never really managed to hone my skills due to lack of proper facilities, etc. Now, I am engaged in a long-term house-sitting gig, with a fabulous kitchen, and I'm currently working on my first batch of sourdough bread. My favourite bread, however, is Pao de Mihlo (Portuguese cornbread), which I can only get when I'm in Toronto. Does anybody know how to make this stuff?

Over on the Restaurant Life forum the topic "Some thoughts on restaurant bread rituals" briefly touched on the question of why freshly baked bread gives you a belly ache if you eat it when it is still hot. Does anybody here in the Baking forum have an answer?

You can read about the charity event here: Description by one of my volunteers I didn't get pics of much of the food, but I did take some pics of both of my breads. Half the epi cooling. A close up. The brioche.

I'm looking to make some muffins (as in the sweet, muffin case cake-like) kind, but with the addition of yeast. Would this work? What kind of texture would it yield? I'm hoping it would make them taller/lighter. If not, has anyone tried whipping the egg whites seperately?

Hi, The Baker's Catalogue is now offering their version of the no-knead bread titled Absolutely No-Knead Crusty-Chewy Bread. There are significant differences with the Sullivan Street Bakery's recipe. Whopping Hydration: They call for hydration rates between 89% and 97% depending on the protein level of the flour. Second Rise in the Baking Vessel: The crock is not preheated but is used for the second rise. This eliminates the oven spring of the Sullivan Street version. Using the crock for the second rise also necessitates greasing of the container. Shorter Baking Time: The bread is baked at 450 degrees for 45 minutes covered and 4 - 5 minutes uncovered. The resulting bread comes from the oven with a flat top. (I'm not sure about that.) It appears that a period of kneading, rather than stirring, develops a higher, rounder crown. I would like to hear comments on this recipe. Tim

I have a few issues with general practices at fine-dining restaurants when it comes to bread service. First, as much as I appreciate a fine selection of bread, I would rather have a bread basket than deal with a server coming around with a bread selection and going through the whole "Would you like sourdough, olive, multigrain, or raisin-walnut?" rigmarole all night long, over and over, with each individual person at the table. Just give us a few pieces of every type of bread in a basket, and bring more if we need it. I guess with warm bread individual service makes sense, but most places aren't doing warm bread. Second, butter allocations are usually too small. A table of four people might be given essentially a pat of butter in a little dish. I suppose it's understandable that restaurants wish to avoid waste (even though restaurant dining is a fundamentally wasteful experience, but whatever), but if they're going to give small dishes of butter then they should be better about replacing them. That guy who comes around incessantly with a tray of bread; why can't he be more diligent about noticing when you're low on butter, and then not taking ten minutes to come back with more. Third, there should be salt on the table, especially if the butter is unsalted but even if it is salted. Fourth, don't serve cold butter. Yes, the department of health makes you store it cold, but surely you can let it come up to room temperature just before service. Fifth, the system in place at most fine-dining restaurants that offer a bread service seems to be that, if you say "No, I won't be having another piece just now," they take your bread plate away. This I suppose helps them know not to keep offering you bread. But the reality is that I, and many people I know, sometimes just want a bread intermission. I don't want another piece right away because I don't want to eat ten pieces of bread before my food comes. But I will want another piece at some point. Or maybe I'm not sure. In any event, I don't want to have to ask for a new bread plate if I later decide to have more bread. The solution, leaving a small uneaten piece of bread on your plate to deter clearing, is unappetizing and shouldn't be necessary.

Today, while on the premise of last minute school shopping, I succumbed to the urge to buy decorative Halloween candy thinking I would make a haunted Gingerbread house and these black and white caramel things would look great as tombstones, some candy pumpkins, candy corn in various dark colors; a whole big bag of black jelly beans! (that was really an indulgence since I am no fan of black jelly beans. At least I won't eat them while I'm imagining doing this project....) Anyway.... I've been searching around for some patterns. I have a few books on gingerbread houses, they're ok; but I was wondering what creations you have found or made. I thought Martha Stewart had done one a few years ago, but I haven't been able to find it with a google image search. I did find an interesting pattern at Franky's Attic page Sorry to rush the holiday, but these things take time ETA: Does anyone have the Martha Stewart magazine with the directions and/or picture of the Haunted House? It looked a little like the house from the Psycho movie (but this is going on memory and I could be very wrong). It's not on the MS site. I tried checking Amazon and I can't find it in the index of her Halloween book so I am all out of ideas on where to find this.... ) Thanks.

I am asked on a regular basis by customers "Where can I get good bread in West van / north shore." As I don't live there, I don't have as good an answer as I should. Anyone have some reccomendations?

Think what you will of Wonder Bread (builds strong bodies, 12 ways....) it certainly is an American cultural icon in not only food traditions but marketing savvy. It was with great sadness I read in the LA Times today (actually their web site) that the Wonder Bread bakeries in So Cal are shutting down in October. The last loaves of Wonder Bread will come out on 10/20, and the bakeries will close totally by 10/29. They will also cease marketing Wonder Bread in Southern California at that time. They've been in the market in this area since the 1940's. Regardless of the cultural/culinary impact, the area will loose about 1300 jobs in 4 area cities. But.......no Wonder Bread on the shelves west of Las Vegas??? That's just wrong. Not that I've bought any of it in about 40 years, but still. It's something that was always there, and that I thought always would be. It's wayyyyyyyyyy too late, and I'm wayyyyyyyyyy too tired to figure out how to do a clever little clicky link (if one of the e-G staff would like to PM me with a cheat sheet, I'd be forever grateful), but here's the URL for the article. You *may* need to register to read it, but it's free. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-wond...dlines-business The good news is the Twinkie/Ding Dong/Ho-Ho production and sales will remain.

I seem to have difficulty when it is time to make my slash marks on by batards and baguettes. I think the problem is the moistness of the dough. Assuming sharp knife, and either wetted or floured to help it travel across the dough, it still seems that when I make my slashes the blade pulls the dough forward causing it to deflate. Here are my questions: After making the slashes do most of you put your bread right into the oven or do you let it rise some more? Any suggestions on how to make a cleaner slash, some method that works for you?

I was just reviewing the last year in anticipation of the Birthday Resolution and thought about something that happened at Christmas this past year. I had made Christmas dinner at my mother-in-laws: roasted capon, green beans with garlic, scalloped potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes. As we were getting everything on the table, Liz couldn't believe I wasn't putting bread on the table. I thought I was covered with two starches but she insisted that there had to be bread on the table. Her mother always had bread on the table with every meal. Growing up about the only times I remember bread on the table at meal time was if it was toast to soak up the egg yolk or under your stewed tomatoes or MAYBE as garlic bread with red sauce and spaghetti. Our rule was protein, at least one if not two veg and one starch. What was your experience?