"Peter Reinhart's Artisan Breads Every Day"

[Aloha Steve]

Any comments, reviews ? How does it compare with his others ?

Besides the formulas, does this have the techniques of the previous BBA & WGBs ?

There is one review on Amazon which says it has the information from the above mentioned books, refined and made simpler.

Am quoting parts of that review:

"I really appreciate the techniques used in this book as they are even easier to perform, and easier to understand, than the first two books. This book is great for people just getting into bread baking as it contains many of the same fundamental styles of bread found in Peter's other books. "

"The techniques presented in this book are simpler, and more straightforward than previous ones as the formulas are streamlined so that the use of a seperate pre-fermented dough is not necessary. Also, these recipes, although still requiring at least two days, take less hands-on time to make."

IF the above two quotes are true, it is balm to my mind. I have just been reading* about 20 (not the first 20) pages of the first part of BBA, peaked into a few formulas, and its like 2-3 weeks before making some of the

breads I am wanting most to make

*Although it is 2:29 am, even bright and early it is a lot to learn.

Edited October 30, 2009 by Aloha Steve (log)

[Wholemeal Crank]

Just bought it, will report back after I've read through it.

[mroybal]

I am waiting for this book to come from Amazon I will review after going through it.

[HungryC]

It arrived via mail from Amazon yesterday; I flipped through it while watching the Saints pound the Falcons, and I'm eager to get started. I was also excited to see my name in the long, long list of recipe testers Reinhart actually listed everyone who volunteered to test the recipes.

[Aloha Steve]

It arrived via mail from Amazon yesterday; I flipped through it while watching the Saints pound the Falcons, and I'm eager to get started. I was also excited to see my name in the long, long list of recipe testers Reinhart actually listed everyone who volunteered to test the recipes.

Can you say anything about the techniques & prep yet?

Examples: Simplified prep, less time for starter etc ?

[dougal]

Steve - time is an essential ingredient in 'good' breadmaking.

Waiting time, while the wee beasties work away by themselves.

That is to say that, unless you aspire to the qualities of industrially-produced, wrapped and sliced supermarket bread, faster means worse.

You really are going to have to work on this patience thing!

But hey, think how much more patience a winemaker needs than a baker!

Edited November 4, 2009 by dougal (log)

[eatrustic]

I've been asked to teach a couple of baking classes in the next few weeks based on this book. Just got my copy so I'll let you know as I work through the recipes.

[HungryC]

Made butterflake rolls from the book this weekend; nice, solid, clearly written recipe, with well-photographed shaping instructions. The book focuses on manipulating time and temperature....larger-batch, multiple loaf recipes that ferment in the fridge for up to several days, allowing the baker greater flexibility than traditional yeast baking schedules. The recipes list ingredients by volume & weight, and a separate appendix lists the baker's percentage formulas for each recipe.

[Aloha Steve]

I've been asked to teach a couple of baking classes in the next few weeks based on this book. Just got my copy so I'll let you know as I work through the recipes.

Looking forward to your posts.

DOUGAL: Yes, read you loud and clear. A virtue worth practicing.

[Gayle28607]

Could we get an update on the book from those who are working with it? I am particularly interested in comparisons with Bread Baker's Apprentice or other earlier Reinhart books, depending on your collection.

[OliverB]

I've looked at it, since I had a 40% off coupon at Border's, but decided to pass on it. I am not too much of a fan of these fast trick breads, they just never compare to the real thing done the real way IMO. And the book seems to repeat/contain lots of things he's written before. I'll follow this thread to see what people think, but I'm sure I'll be much happier with Mastering the Art of Chinese Cooking that I bought instead

But bake away, I'm always ready to change my mind

[HungryC]

I've looked at it, since I had a 40% off coupon at Border's, but decided to pass on it. I am not too much of a fan of these fast trick breads, they just never compare to the real thing done the real way IMO. And the book seems to repeat/contain lots of things he's written before. I'll follow this thread to see what people think, but I'm sure I'll be much happier with Mastering the Art of Chinese Cooking that I bought instead

But bake away, I'm always ready to change my mind

There's nothing fast or trick about Artisan Breads. On the contrary: virtually all of the recipes require a 24-hour cold ferment, with the added bonus of a longer window of viability (so you can bake up to 4 days after the initial ferment). One huge bonus, for me, is a much more useful wild yeast sourdough cultivation process, employing pineapple juice. After several years of trying and failing to cultivate a wild yeast starter, I've succeeded, thanks to the pineapple juice solution.

The [100% whole wheat pain a l'ancienne worked like a charm, as did ]the buttery crackers. Pics below.

[OliverB]

that bread does look great, as do the crackers. Might have to give the book an other look. I just started to play with sourdough, got a couple starters from sourdo.com and worked with the SF one first. I messed some of the timing up somewhere, bread was a bit too dense and also a bit sweet - odd for sourdough! Was good though, just not what I though I'd made

I want to try and make my own wild yeast starter too one of these days. I've also read about a way to do it by using organic unwashed grapes, thought that was an interesting approach as well. Never got around to buy any this year and the local season should be pretty much over I think. Not that I'd have time to drive to Napa anytime soon anyway.

Thanks for the pictures, they make me hungry!

[Wholemeal Crank]

fast trick breads

And the book seems to repeat/contain lots of things he's written before

In this book he's applying the stretch-and-fold plus prolonged cold fermentations to produce basic types of breads he's written about before. The long cold fermentations are where he is building flavor, so less reliance on sourdoughs and bigas, although he gives directions for working with preferments with this technique as well.

I was already doing a fair bit of this starting with pain l'ancienne from BBA, and playing with the Lahey no-knead bread recipe in the NYT, so it's not that new to me, but I bought it because I always learn something from his books, and usually keep learning more with rereading.

Edited December 2, 2009 by Wholemeal Crank (log)

[mroybal]

I really like this book. It is great for the home chef. A lot of the techniques remind me of what I learned in cooking school, only simplified. The pizza crust works great, and the focaccia made my nieces love bread. There are not any little "tricks" just different techniques.

[eatrustic]

What makes this book worthwhile is that fact it's so compact. If you bought his whole grain book with all the crazy techniques this is dead simple in comparison. As previously mentioned Rheinhart has picked up tricks from other recent baking books as well as some of his own so if you've been buying the latest bread books this isn't a must have.

I've tried the Pain a l'Ancienne (a real keeper with my favorite style of very wet dough that makes delicious hearth breads). There are three variations of the simple yeasted white dough in this section with the P.a'L being the wettest and the Classic French dough being the sturdier of the group. The Lean Bread (he could have come up with a better name) is the bridge between the two and his choice for the best of both worlds. The stretch and fold technique will give any novice a great result. I would really recommend tracking down a yard or so of French linen to use in place of parchment or floured boards for the wetter doughs as the longer rising times will cause some grief (especially for the ciabatta) as you try flipping the dough over.

What makes life easier is the fact that the Pain a l'Ancienne dough recipe will make a simple hearth bread and with the addition of olive oil will also make a pretty decent Ciabatta and a Foccacia. (although I found his Foccacia technique to be pretty fidgety with the back and forth in the warm oven.)

The 100% Whole Wheat hearth bread came out quite well but there will be huge variation in results depending on where you get your whole wheat flour from -especially if it's the kind that is really white flour with the bran added back and most certainly has additives to help the rising process-(vs the serious stone ground organic that will be much heartier). Some people may not like the addition of oil but it certainly helps to create a less dense product.

A hit for the class I taught was the Struan loaf which Rheinhart states is his absolute favorite loaf for toast and one of the recipes he has made since he came out with his first book "Brother Juniper" eons ago. It's mildly sweet and interesting texturally while still being more white than wheat.

Other than that I've tried the Cinnamon Buns and they're ok but not to die for.

He also uses the same dough for the Panettone and the Stollen which is a big sin in my books (it's much more a Panettone dough).

All in all he packs a heck of a lot of info and bread styles into a very slim book, the recipes are quite accurate (using a scale) so don't get scared if the dough looks way to wet, if you've measured properly trust the techniques before adding more flour.

[Aloha Steve]

Got the book for a present and am reading it now. It is way less intimidating than the BAA and I am enjoying and understanding what he has written. I am still in the theory part, but could not wait to try a formula.

Here is 100% Whole Wheat Hearth Bread

At the start of the last rise:

in the over on the hearth stone

Finished waiting to cool

I need to get better at shaping and putting into the oven smoothly. I feel comfortable that with practice I'll get there.

And if I can do it.......anyone can.....

[Marlene]

I also got this book for Christmas and love it. I made the biscuits yesterday, (to die for) and currently have the Challah dough in the fridge for an overnight rise, which is very different from his recipe in BBA. I love BBA, but there are several breads I want to try from this one.

Edited January 6, 2010 by Marlene (log)

[Aloha Steve]

currently have the Challah dough in the fridge for an overnight rise, which is very different from his recipe in BBA.

Please let us know how the Challah comes out. Exciting isn't it ?

A really good book.

Edited January 6, 2010 by Aloha Steve (log)

[ElsieD]

I second the biscuit comment. I got the book Christmas Eve and Christmas morning found me in the kitchen whipping up a batch. It took about 20 minutes to put together and they are the last biscuit recipe you will ever need.

[Marlene]

I second the biscuit comment. I got the book Christmas Eve and Christmas morning found me in the kitchen whipping up a batch. It took about 20 minutes to put together and they are the last biscuit recipe you will ever need.

Oh yes. I've made a variety of different biscuit recipes in the last few years, on my quest to learn how to make them, and these are by far the best I've ever made!

[Marlene]

The Challah bread was a huge hit. Much much better than the recipe in BBA!

[Aloha Steve]

The Challah bread was a huge hit. Much much better than the recipe in BBA!

Yahoooooooooo and not the website !

Next up for me.

[Aloha Steve]

The Challah bread was a huge hit. Much much better than the recipe in BBA!

Yahoooooooooo and not the website !

Next up for me.

I cannot beleive that I baked a bread that tastes this good.

It is the best Challah I can remember ever eating.

Here are some pix and further comments.

Thank you PETER !

[Marlene]

I made the butterflake rolls from this book last night and they were terrific.