In Search of the Perfect Loaf

Posted on 10 May 2017 by Samuel Fromartz

An irresistible account of bread, bread baking, and one home baker s journey to master his craft In 2009, journalist Samuel Fromartz was offered the assignment of a lifetime to travel to France to work in a boulangerie So began his quest to hone not just his homemade baguette which later beat out professional bakeries to win the Best Baguette of D.C but his knowledge of bread, from seed to table For the next four years, Fromartz traveled across the United States and Europe, perfecting his sourdough in California, his whole grain rye in Berlin, and his country wheat in the South of France Along the way, he met historians, millers, farmers, wheat geneticists, sourdough biochemists, and everyone in between, learning about the history of breadmaking, the science of fermentation, and The result is an informative yet personal account of bread and breadbaking, complete with detailed recipes, tips, and beautiful photographs Entertaining and inspiring, this book will be a touchstone for a new generation of bakers and a must read for anyone who wants to take a deeper look at this deceptively ordinary, exceptionally delicious staple handmade bread. Read In Search of the Perfect Loaf – kino-fada.fr IF you really like BREAD, I mean, Really, Really, REALLY like bread, then this is the book for you Does have some recipes, could have used , but the Author s search for that perfect how to make bread is, well, something else He seek...Via Goodreads First Reads I ll confess to a fondness for books of a culinary bent, especially when they re presented as a journey or a quest So yes, Fromartz s book is, by default, up my alley But it s the overall strength and coherency of the telling of his journey that makes this book enjoyable Now, do not expect a cookbook Yes, it has recipes, but they are rather few, and they anticipate some measure of breadmaking experience on the part of the reader If, like me, you are not a veteran h Via Goodreads First Reads I ll confess to a fondness for books of a culinary bent, especially when they re presented as a journey or a quest So yes, Fromartz s book is, by default, up my alley But it s the overall strength and coherency of the telling of his journey that makes this book enjoyable Now, do not expect a cookbook Yes, it has recipes, but they are rather few, and they anticipate some measure of breadmaking experience on the part of the reader If, like me, you are not a veteran home baker, you might be better served finding...I received a copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway At first, I was a little bit disappointed to see how few recipes were included in this book, compared to the bulk of storytelling prose Then, as I began reading, I began to appreciate the story being told a lotthan the recipes anyway The narration is effortless, elegant, and mildly addictive I was midway through the book before I realized I was hooked The author has a good habit of tricking you into reading things you probabl I received a copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway At first, I was a little bit disappointed to see how few recipes were included in this book, compared to the bulk of storytelling prose Then, as I began reading, I began to appreciate the story being...ok I got about halfway through and I feel like I am going to die from reading about all these different varieties of WHEATI loved this book Some reviewers seemed to be under the misconception that this is a recipe book It s not though there are a few recipes included This is a book for bread nerds and is as much about grain as it is about bread, in the way wine books after oftenfocused on grape varieties than the finished product, which makes sense, though I don t think I had really thought about the relation of grains and flour and bread in quite that way before I lived a long time in France and experi I loved this book Some reviewers seemed to be under the misconception that this is a recipe book It s not though there are a few recipes included This is a book for bread nerds and is as much about grain as it is about bread, in the way wine books after oftenfocused on grape varieties than the finished product, which makes sense, though I don t think I had really thought about the relation of grains and flour and bread in quite that way before I lived a long time in France and experienced the decline and partial revival in the quality of breads So many village bakeries ar...Breadmaking requires all the senses the way the dough feels in your hands while kneading, the way it looks when it s ready, the way bread smells when it s done, even the hollow sound a well baked loaf makes The book could have used scratch and sniff paper for the smell of bread It does have some recipes but that s not the point, as even the author acknowledges The point of baking is hands on practice Along the way, he discusses biodiversity, cultural differences, journeys around several cou Breadmaking requires all the senses the way the dough feels in your hands while kneading, the way it looks when it s ready, the way bread smells when it s done, even the hollow sound a well baked loaf makes The book could have used scratch and sniff paper for the smell of bread It does have some recipes but that s not the point, as even the author acknowledges The point of baking is hands on practice Along the way, he discusses biodiversity, cultural differences, journeys...As a bread baker, Samuel Fromartz is wa a a a y out of my league, and his book isthan I ever thought I wanted or needed to know about everything about baking bread Nevertheless I found In Search of the Perfect Loaf an entertaining read, and along the way I actually did learn some helpful things that I hope I can incorporate into my not particularly frequent experiments in the art of home bread baking More of a history book with a lot of science and agriculture thrown in, Fromartz is an e As a bread baker, Samuel Fromartz is wa a a a y out of my league, and his book isthan I ever thought I wanted or needed to know about everything about baking bread Nevertheless I found In Search of the Perfect Loaf an entertaining read, and along the way I actually did learn some helpful things that I hope I can incorporate into my not particularly frequent experiments in the art of home bread baking Mo...Written by a local D.C amateur baker, this wide ranging book gives an introduction not only to a variety of bread making techniques but also to the history of cultivated grains and concern optimism about the future , as well as the science and biolo...I received this book to review as a Goodreads First reads I really enjoyed this book, but I also love to bake But I erally got caught up in the author s journey to learn about bread and grain and how to make the best loaf possible I now want to try to grow heirloom grains and grind them myself and see how much better a loaf of bread can be This is something my mother did when I was a child bake bread I mean , and I would like to pass this art down to the next generation, especially to my on I received this book to review as a Goodreads First reads I really enjoyed this book, but I also love to bake But I erally got caught up in the author s journey to learn about bread and grain and how to make the best loaf possible I now want to try to grow heirloom grains and grind them myself and see how much better a loaf of bread can be This is something my mother did when I was a child ...I guess I am a real bread nerd I found this book very informative and entertaining, and except for the long passages about the chemical basis of fermentation, a compelling reading experience The author visits bakers and farmers in the US and Europe as he seeks to expand his baking skills, and in the process learns about ancient grains, how Romans made sourdough, and how wasp gut bacteria contribute to baking, etc The few recipes he s included look worth trying too I am also a fan of William I guess I am a real bread nerd I found this book very informative and entertaining, and except for the long passages about the chemical basis of fermentation, a compelling reading experience The author visits bakers and farmers in the US and Europe as he seeks to expand his baking skills, and in the process learns about ancient grains, how Romans made sourdough, and how wasp gut bacteria contribute to baking, etc The few recipes he s included look worth trying too I am also a ...

10 May 2017

Samuel Fromartz