The World Encyclopedia of Bread and Bread Making

Book excerpt: There is something undeniably special about freshly baked bread. Why does it smell so good? And what makes it so hard to resist? This comprehensive guide provides the answers, combining fabulous close-up photographs, with fascinating information and delicious, tested recipes. The book begins with a fascinating introduction to the background and history of breads and bakers. A section on yeasts and leavening opens the techniques section, which describes, in an easy-to-follow, photographic step-by-step format, the essential basics of bread-making from mixing the dough to baking the loaf. A round-up of useful baking equipment, from baking tins to bannetons, completes the section. The reference guide that follows is a fantastic visual catalogue of the breads of the world. Organized by country, there are photographs of hundreds of different breads from almost every corner of the globe, and each entry includes such interesting information as how the bread is baked, its history, shape and flavour, and the type of flour used. There are breads from almost every country in the recipe section, too. Over 100 traditional recipes have been tested and adapted so that you can bake them easily and successfully at home. Illustrated step-by-step instructions take you through each stage of the preparation and there's a glorious picture of every finished bread, so that you can see what you are trying to achieve. Whether you'd simply like to identify an unusual bread, or want to try your hand at baking a classic loaf, The World Encyclopedia of Bread is an essential addition to your kitchen shelf -- it is not only the definitive reference guide to breads, but also a comprehensive and enticing recipesourcebook.