Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Bought this book in 1979 and have made almost every recipe in it. Bernard Clayton is meticulous with his instructions and, if you follow them exactly, you will have amazingly delicious results. Every recipe is a treasure -- I have so many favorites. It is fascinating to learn about the dramatic differences in taste and texture that result from slight variations in ingredients (starter made with white vs. whole wheat, for example, or a tablespoon of honey or a splash of buttermilk), and modest variations in technique.
A few years ago, my family and I made a pilgrimage to the rue Cherche Midi to sample the bread in Poilane's bakery. I was amazed to find that the baguette tasted almost exactly like the one I had been making at home in my own oven for more than 20 years!
I own many bread books, but this is the one I love best because these are the recipes that give me the greatest pleasure to make.
Click Here to see more reviews about: The Breads of France: And How to Bake Them in Your Own Kitchen (Culinary Classics & Curios)
An instant classic upon publication in 1978, THE BREADS OF FRANCE introduced American bakers to the pleasures of French artisanal breads. Author Bernard Clayton spent years visiting boulangeries both famous and unknown, collecting authentic bread recipes from some of the most esteemed bakers in France. The resulting treasure trove includes such classic regional breads as Petits Pains au Chocolat from Bracieux, Pain de Campagne from the Parisian master baker Poilâne, and Pumpkin-Cornmeal Bread from the French Basque country. Clayton's recipes are written in a unique step-by-step style—instructions lucid and complete, questions anticipated and answered—that evolved from his experiences teaching bread-baking classes. Filled with delightful vignettes of French culture, history, and bread-baking lore and charming black-and-white photographs, The Breads of France is not just a glorious collection of bread recipes—it's a window onto the world's richest, most storied bread-baking tradition.
