The Bread Bible by Rose Levy Berenbaum

I received this book for Christmas from Steven's family. It is every bit as scrumptious as I thought it would be. I'm only sad that my schedule will not allow my to start trying out recipes for a couple more weeks.

I've been making basic breads for quite a number of years, so I'm definitely comfortable with the yeast aspect of bread making. However, the idea of making starters and sponges and using some of the more artisan techniques and ingredients has always been a little scary. What I really appreciate about this book is that it includes a lot more than just recipes...it also covers the science behind why certain techniques work or why different types of flour are better or worse for each type of bread. I remember doing some things with types of flour in my Food Processing class at ISU. (For those of you who remember, this was the absolutely HATED class that had ridiculously long, boring labs...largely watching huge vats of various things boil for hours on end.) Anyway, I think that the information in this book is presented much more accessibly than the class, with a good balance of the Science of bread making with the Art of bread making. Duh...if it wasn't, no one would buy the book.

I have 10 recipes marked in the book to try, starting with the Rich and Creamy Ginger Scones. I'll keep you updated as I have the opportunity to test the recipes...and maybe I'll even torture you with pictures!