The best in bread cookbooks

Updated: June 14, 2012 04:21 PM EDT

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By Marne Setton

Of the dozens of books devoted to bread on the Saveur shelves, a few proved indispensable as we developed the recipes in the Issue 147 special feature, American Bread.

Any baker would do well to keep the über–comprehensive Bread: A Baker's Book of Techniques and Recipes (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2004) at hand.

The instructions from author Jeffrey Hamelman, a certified master bread maker, are blessedly detailed, with illustrations demonstrating the proper way to knead, braid (30 pages on this alone), and do most anything else required to transform a mass of dough into a beautiful loaf.

For the beginner, The Bread Baker's Apprentice (Ten Speed Press, 2001), by baking expert Peter Reinhart, provides an accessible way in, first laying out the basic principles behind baking any bread. Then it provides more than 50 formulas for specific breads, including brioche, bagels, and the perfect Tuscan loaf.

Good bread always tells a story about where it comes from, and in Local Breads (W.W. Norton & Co., 2007), Daniel Leader, founder of Bread Alone Bakeries in upstate New York, travels across Europe to investigate the regional traditions that were the inspiration for him and his fellow pioneers in the American artisan bread movement.

One chapter finds him in the wheat fields of Italy's Murgia plain; another, in Grimminger pretzel bakery in Munich. Along the way, he lays out the recipes collected in his travels with utter clarity.

If it's possible, after reading these paeans to the power of bread made by hand, to wonder why all of this is important, look no further than Bread Matters (Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2009).

British baker Andrew Whitley gets down to brass tacks about what exactly makes artisan bread healthier and tastier, then offers such alluring cases in point as arkatena from Cyprus made with chickpea flour and fennel seeds, a coriander–laced Russian rye called Borodinsky, and dozens of others, both savory and sweet.

See more stories from Saveur's special feature on American bread »

Recipes from the KOAM Morning NewsRecipesMore>>
Crispy Kale Chips Recipe
Crispy Kale Chips Recipe
Updated: Tuesday, May 14 2013 7:31 AM EDT2013-05-14 11:31:05 GMT
Crispy Kale Chips: Fresh Kale (12-24 oz) 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil Kosher salt or sea salt Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Wash kale. Tear larger pieces, if necessary. Spread evenly on a non-stick bakingMore >>
Enjoy a recipe for crispy kale chips from the Pittsburg Farmer's Market!More >>
Strawberry Smoothie Recipe
Strawberry Smoothie Recipe
Updated: Wednesday, April 10 2013 5:11 AM EDT2013-04-10 09:11:37 GMT
STRAWBERRY SMOOTHIE 1 cup vanilla soy milk 1 cup soft silken tofu 1 box (10 oz.) frozen strawberries ½ cup orange juice 1 tablespoon honey Place all ingredients in blender and mix on high until thoroughlyMore >>
STRAWBERRY SMOOTHIE 1 cup vanilla soy milk 1 cup soft silken tofu 1 box (10 oz.) frozen strawberries ½ cup orange juice 1 tablespoon honey Place all ingredients in blender and mix on high until thoroughlyMore >>
Spicy sausage & bean soup
Spicy sausage & bean soup
Updated: Tuesday, February 12 2013 4:26 PM EST2013-02-12 21:26:06 GMT
Ingredients 1 pound bulk Hot Italian sausage 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup chopped green pepper 1 teaspoon minced garlic 2 cups chicken broth 1 (15 oz.) can yellow soybeans, rinsed and drained 1More >>
Ingredients 1 pound bulk Hot Italian sausage 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup chopped green pepper 1 teaspoon minced garlic 2 cups chicken broth 1 (15 oz.) can yellow soybeans, rinsed and drained 1More >>
Chocolate Oatmeal Bites
Chocolate Oatmeal Bites
Ingredients 1 1/4 cups oatmeal 1 cup soy flour blend 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed 1/2 cup margarine 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/4 cups finely chopped salted soynuts ChocolateMore >>
Ingredients 1 1/4 cups oatmeal 1 cup soy flour blend 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed 1/2 cup margarine 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/4 cups finely chopped salted soynuts ChocolateMore >>
Pork and White Bean Soup
Pork and White Bean Soup
Ingredients 3 strips bacon 1 pound boneless pork, cut into bite size pieces 1 medium onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 2 cups chicken broth 1 (15 oz) can yellow soybeans, rinsed and drained 1More >>
Ingredients 3 strips bacon 1 pound boneless pork, cut into bite size pieces 1 medium onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 2 cups chicken broth 1 (15 oz) can yellow soybeans, rinsed and drained 1More >>
Savory bacon onion muffins
Savory bacon onion muffins
Ingredients 1 1/2 cups soy flour blend 2 tablespoons sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup sauteed onion 1/2 cup bacon crumbles 1/2 cup soy margarine, melted 1/2 cup soy milk 2More >>
Ingredients 1 1/2 cups soy flour blend 2 tablespoons sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup sauteed onion 1/2 cup bacon crumbles 1/2 cup soy margarine, melted 1/2 cup soy milk 2More >>

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