How To Bake Bread by Michael Kalanty. Review by Blog Mistress Mandy

As a cook, I am afraid of baking. I know I'm not alone in this. The precise weights, measures and formulas make this girl shake in her Dansko clogs (math not a strong suit-I promptly dropped out of Algebra 2x as soon as I got a college acceptance letter).

Michael took all the fear away as he patiently and clearly explains each step of the bread making process.

He starts by uncovering The Five Families Of Bread:

Lean Dough (ie Baguettes)
Soft Dough (ie Ballons)
Rich Dough (ie Butter Bread)
Slack Dough (ie Focaccia)
Sweet Dough (ie Cinnamon Buns)

Reading this book reminded me of culinary school. In school, you learn that it is one thing to have a margin of talent and be able to create delicious dishes by following a recipe. It is another thing entirely to LEARN and know your food by touch, look, taste and feel. When you understand food as product and how to apply techniques to enhance the product, you are completely empowered.

Michael's book made me feel this way about the world that is bread.

Not wholly unrelated to his bread bible, we happened upon this delightful video of Michael demonstrating pizza throwing with his students at the CCA and just had to share it with you.


I decided to try the simplest of bread "formulas": the baguette. Please enjoy my pictorial bread adventure!




Ingredients couldn't be simpler: yeast, flour, water, salt



The dough pre-knead. I love kneading. So satisfying.




After two rests, my "baguette" was ready to hit the oven. Yeah, it ended up kinda big, and kinda wide...first attempt, y'all!




It smelled amazing as soon as it hit the oven. Here it is, golden brown.







Okay, so it felt very dense and I honestly did not have high hopes. When I cut into it, I was pleasantly surprised. Cooked all the way through, a touch moist...then husband and I tasted it. I'M A BREAD BAKER! So good. Thank you, Michael! I think I have found a new hobby (well, my first hobby-I'm not big on fun).

To purchase Michael's book,call 1 800 BOOK LOG and use discount code RSB2010XF. Bloggers can get a 50% publisher discount, making the price only $25.00!