Wild Yeast

Notes from my kitchen, in which I bake bread and raise a few other matters

Bread Baking: An Artisan’s Perspective Giveaway

•

What burning bread questions are on your mind ? How do you know how long a dough should ferment? What is the ideal baking temperature? What is an Auvergnat and how do you shape it? In his book Bread Baking: An Artisan’s Perspective, Daniel DiMuzio lets us in on all of it.

This is a textbook, aimed at baking students. It is not a cookbook, although there are a few formulas. But if you’re a bread geek like me (come on, you can admit it), you will find plenty here to interest and inform. It is technical stuff, presented very clearly so even those of us who are not pros can make sense of it.

Chapter by chapter, DiMuzio, a baker and baking instructor, takes us through each step of the bread baking process: ingredient selection, mixing, fermentation (what is that yeast really up to in there?), shaping, proofing, and baking. He explains not only what to do, but why to do it. There is also a chapter about rich and laminated doughs, and one on how to create your own dough formula.

Courtesy of Dan and of publisher Wiley, I have a copy of this great book to give away. All you have to do is leave a comment here by 11:59 PM PST on Monday, April 13 for a chance in the random drawing. International entries are welcome in this one. Remember, you cannot win if you do not play!

CommentsLeave a comment

  1. I’m on a quest to make a terrific sourdough bread and am still mystified by my starter. I would love to understand what it needs, how it works, and why it is so tempermental some times!

  2. i’ve been baking bread for years using commercial yeast. I recently discovered your blog and now have some sourdough starter bubbling away in my kitchen. I’d love to know what’s going on in there.
    Thanks for your great blog and the opportunity.

  6. I love your site, Susan, and I would love to have my name thrown into the ring for the book. I need all the help I can get! Thanks, again, for the wonderful site. I just love it! And I just can’t wait to try some of your recipes.

    Paul

  8. I’m in.

    I like reading about bread and baker’s thoughts almost as much as I love baking bread, so this sounds like a book I would very much enjoy.

    (And it’s why I love your blog!)

  13. I’m sure this book would love a tropical life in the Cook Islands ( next door to Tahiti ). Count me in.

  15. The only thing I like more than the history of food is the science, or the how and why, of food…especially bread. Thanks so much for the chance to win “Bread Baking.”

  18. Yay Cookbooks! Or textbooks. “Yay Cookbooks” sounds more fun, so that’s what I’m sticking with.

  19. Sounds like a great book to have. Maybe it’ll tell me why I can’t get a good rise in this house’s kitchen.

  24. I am a bread geek and definitely not afraid to admit it (also have a collection of yeast jokes, but they’re more academics/research oriented than baking).

    The book sounds great!

  25. I’ve been baking bread for four years learning almost purely by books. This book would be the perfect thirst quencher for my learning appetite! Please sign me in, thank you.

  28. I think this book could help me in my baking adventures! … placed side by side to the screwdrive I use to open my old oven 😉

  29. I have a feeling that even if I don’t get the book now, I’d go and find it to buy it!

    love the site, thanks!

  30. I’m a bread-geek, too … can i have the book, pretty please?? 😀 I’ll send you pictures of the first bread i make with the knowledge from the book! 😀

  33. i’m very new to bread baking. actually, i had only ever made flatbreads and crackers before trying out your ciabatta.. which, of course, was a hit. and now i can truly say that i’m hooked for life – i haven’t bought bread at a shop for several months now (well except that one time while travelling).
    looks like an excellent book. i’m not yet much of a bread geek – as mentioned, still new to all this – but am a huge food geek. i’d love this book ,)

  36. Eeek!! Love your blog, love to bake, but oh… the math required to convert the measurements from metric to non-metric makes my head spin. I kindly request that you consider posting both versions of measurements for your recipes. Thanks!!

  37. Would love to win Bread Baking: An Artisan’s Perspective, it would be a pleaseure to learn more as I’m so into bread baking; wanting to improve my bread and learn more!!

    Bev

  38. Nice to see how many bread geeks are out there… me too! The more I bake, the less I need formulas, and the more I want to understand.

  39. Yes, I to am a bread geek. I just found your site and it is awsome. I want to understand why!
    Thanks

  45. heee… looks like a lot of people come out of hiding when you’re giving things away. 😉 I am a definite bread geek and would love to get my hands on that book. Thanks for everything you do, Susan!

  46. I AM a bread geek, but could certainly use some hlep in the technical area. Looks like a great book. Susan, you are a star!

  47. Susan, would you talk sometime about what kind of mixer you’re using… (maybe even a video?…)

    Yesterday I made a Fruit Nut loaf, trying to bake something like the one they sell at Trader Joes (la brea bakery?)…

    I saw your article about Sprouted Wheat Bread with Fruit and Nuts. Hammelman has a few recipes too. Anyway, I used the cuisinart making about a 67% hydration dough with starter and mixed grains. I mixed the dough in the Cuisinart about 80% of the way, and then added the soaked fruit and toasted nuts — but the nuts started grinding (so i had to quickly turn off the cuisinart and fold the additions in by hand. I have a kitchenaid (6 quart), but i’m not thrilled so far with the results. The cuisinart is usually pretty good. Usually, lately i’ve just been mixing by hand…

    The bread came out great though… (I’d never baked this type of bread before)
    Thanks for your blog, it’s really fun!

    marty

  49. I’ve started breaking the recipe habit, and started baking by feel. There’s a great amount of break-geek information in a book called “Bread Builders” which focuses on sourdough.
    This book sounds like it might provide the yeast bread side of the chemistry lesson.
    Then again, Susan has given me a big shot of the educational juices in this blog too!

    Thanks!

  51. Looks like a great book. I’d like to join the draw.
    Your blog is wonderful, thank you for your passion.
    Best wishes

  52. I am an amateur bread baker, and I love the process. Hopefully I can add this book to my collection and it will help me improve! Love the blog, by the way!

  54. Bread Geeks unite…….saw that book in Borders and although I own every bread book in existence there is always room for another good one.

  56. This sounds like a wonderful book. I’m a bread addict and would love to know more about making the perfect loaf.

  57. Although I’ve been baking bread since I was in grade school (& am now in my 60’s), I find that there is always more to learn about making this elemntal food. Besides I LOVe reading cookbooks & food books. This volume sounds like one I’ll have to read.

  58. I’ve always wanted to get more into baking a wide variety of breads, this would be a great incentive!

  59. Oh excellent – I’ve been looking for a book like this. More technical instead of recipe-based and whatnot.

    What a great incentive to get me back off my lazy butt and learning more about baking again! Crossing my fingers.

  60. What a great blog! You are in my favorites and I visit often to get inspired and use the recipes. THANK YOU!
    I grew up in a house where my mom baked bread all the time, this was the only way she could provide bread for the family. I learned to bake bread early on, but I know nothing about the science behind it and I am very interest to know that, as baking bread using variety of flours and other ingredients is very appealing and fun to me nowdays. I would love to have this book, thank you again for all that you share with us through your awesome blog.
    Maria

  66. I just started baking my own bread and this book looks like it would be a perfect starter for my collection.

  68. I have learned just enough about bread baking to get myself in trouble. I also don’t have any idea, for instance, how long dough should ferment-until it looks ready? Sounds like the book for me. Thanks.

  71. I bake bread at least once a week and have been doing so for years. Last several years have been doing a lot of sourdough baking but mainly using only a handful of recipes. I like multigrain and no knead recipes also.

  73. Another great edition on bread baking to add to the library.
    Thanks for keeping us in the know!

  75. I have been a bread baker for years and would love to know more of the science behind it. This book sounds killer!

  76. I would love to have this book. If I don’t win i will be picking it up myself. Sounds great and thanks for the great bread website.

  79. Ooooh! 😀 I love bread books! This one sounds wonderful! I’ll have to snag a copy! The basics would be great for me to learn so that I can assemble a REALLY GOOD pumpernickel bagel recipe. The ones out here on the left coast taste like chewy sweet cardboard. 🙁

  80. I, too, am building an outdoor oven! I found your sight during a midnight google of “why won’t the clay dry?”

    Would love to get my grubby hands on this book. Thanks for the competition and the wonderful site!

  81. Love the website. Been getting more and more into bread-making here at home and crave anything and everything written about it.

  88. I just found your website for the first time. It is wonderful to travel. I’ve been making bread for decades, but only recently have discovered “artisan” bread and would so love to read Bread Baking: An Artisan’s Perspective . Even if I don’t win, I at least have the title on my “need to buy” list. Thanks so much.
    Diane

  89. Love your site…love baking bread of many kinds. I started with the Tassajara Bread Book back in the very late 70s, and have done many breads from The Breads of France.
    Your site is an inspiration to me to try more breads and books.
    Thanks.

Send this to a friend