Monday, August 1, 2011

Book Review: Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day


This book is a must read for three distinct groups of people:  Anyone who is intimidated about making bread, Anyone who thinks they know how to make bread, and Anyone who enjoys eating great-tasting bread.  If you fall into one of these categories (yeah, that is pretty much everyone) then you should get this book.  Buy it, borrow it, or check it out from the library.  I think it is that good.

Plus, it's a cookbook written by a physician.  I love it!  No, I don't have any stock in this book or author, but I am a huge fan.  The key to making this bread so quick and easy is the "no knead" techniques that the authors perfected.  It is so simple.  Really.  Trust me.

Plus, and I think this is really fantastic, the authors give away their "Master Recipe" on their website.  With this recipe, I was making Boule, Baguette, Batard, Ciabatta, and Couronne loaves... and they tasted amazing.

For me, cooking is a vital part of self-sufficiency and homesteading.  I actually plan on having a few small plots of grains at my Permaculture farm one day so I can make my own bread literally from scratch, but more on that in a few days.  So, give this easy recipe a try!

Boule
French for "ball" - this is a simple free form loaf

Baguette
Classic loaf!

Batard
Perfect for slicing into sandwich bread.

Ciabatta
Slice this loaf down to middle to remove the top half, fill with cheese and meat or veggies, and then bake it again to make amazing panini!

Couronne
French for "crown", this is a delicious and decorative loaf perfect to sprinkle herbs on before baking.

No comments:

Post a Comment