Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I became obsessed with Alexandra Stafford's peasant bread from her website. This book has the master recipe for the peasant bread and sweet and savory variations. I pre-ordered the book and started baking from it as soon as it arrived. So far I have baked the kalamata olive bread and the oatmeal maple bread. Both turned out delicious. The oatmeal maple bread tastes similar to the brown wheat bread found at some chain restaurants and is my personal favorite. The recipes are divided into 3 sections- bread (no knead bread with 2 short rises), toast (recipes that include the already baked bread), and crumbs (recipes involving bread crumbs or leftover bread). I have not made any recipes from the toast or crumbs sections because the bread is eaten before then. Even if I never make it to the second and third sections of the book, the book is a good value and worth buying. The photographs are stunning and yes, your bread can look as good as the pictures! Though the book emphasizes short rises, the breads really benefit from longer rises. The first rise is 1-1.5 hours and the second rise is 10-20 minutes. I have found that extending the first rise to 3 hours and the second rise to 2 hours creates fluffier loaves. I have made the bread as directed and also with the longer rise and I prefer the longer rises. It is currently April so rise time may shorten as the weather gets warmer. You don't want to extend the first rise too long. I once forgot about my dough and the first rise lasted 6 hours! The yeast will run out of energy too early, thus creating a denser loaf. I usually put my dough in the microwave over the stove to allow the dough to rise in a draft free area and also keeps me from having to cover the bowl. Also, her website states to use 2 teaspoons of yeast while the book says to use 2 and a quarter teaspoons. To keep from sullying an extra measuring spoon, I measure out 2 teaspoons of yeast then add a touch more. I also use salted butter for greasing the bowls. For savory recipes, I have been putting a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil on top of the dough with some maldon sea salt sprinkled on top. Alexandra has written that the EVOO will taste bitter when baked at high temperatures, but I have not found this to be the case in my kitchen. It really enhanced the flavor of the kalamata olive bread and I will trying baking the bread with olive oil in the dough instead of a neutral oil that was in the original recipe (I used safflower oil). The author also has written cooling times for the bread. Yes, the bread smells amazing when it comes out of the oven. You should absolutely follow her guidelines and wait on cutting that first piece. The bread is fluffier and softer if you wait at least the recommended time. Personally, I find the second loaf to be better tasting that the first loaf and I think it is due to the longer cooling time. I usually start the first rise at 9 am, then the second rise at noon. I bake at 2 pm and let the bread cool until 7 pm. I have started the bread at 4 pm and sliced the first loaf at 7 pm. I would say the bread made with the shorter rise time is 90% as good as the bread made with the longer rise time. One of the best variations of the peasant bread recipe is found on Alexandra's website and not in the book. The book recommends baking the bread in 2 one quart Pyrex bowls (I bought mine off of Amazon). The website has a faux focaccia variation that is amazing and not in the book! There is a focaccia recipe in the book, but it is more complex than the faux focaccia recipe on her website. It is worth trying out the faux focaccia recipe. In addition, the book has the same brioche recipe on 2 different pages. I guess this was to keep from turning pages back and forth. However, there are many recipes that reference notes on other recipes that require page turning. The FAQ/troubleshooting section in the back of the book is excellent. Alexandra gives guidance on overnight rising and slowing down the yeast when necessary. In conclusion, the book is a good introduction to bread baking. I have some experience baking bread but the book has really rekindled my interest in baking bread. I am planning on teaching others how to make the peasant bread master recipe. Also, you do not need a bread machine for this book. I don't own one and I recommend this book for bakers that have always wanted to bake bread.