Mastering Bread

The aroma of freshly-baked bread has more than just the power to make your mouth water. According to a new study, it can also make you a kinder person. It seems that now, more than ever, people are rediscovering the joys of baking bread. In Mastering Bread, Marc Vetri and his former head baker, Claire Kopp McWilliams, show home cooks how to create simple breads with unique flavors in a home oven. The book features more than 70 delicious recipes for their bestselling sourdough and yeast loaves as well as accompaniments to serve with the breads. Their process of bread-making is broken down into three easy-to-digest chapters: Mix, Shape, and Bake. Another chapter includes recipes for enjoying bread in dishes such as Bruschetta, Panzanella, and Ribollita. There’s even a bonus chapter revealing the secrets of Vetri’s coveted Panettone. A regional directory on fresh flour is included as a resource. Whether you’re new to bread making or a seasoned baker, don’t worry too much about things being perfect. Mastering bread is not about perfection. Imperfection can be beautiful!

Mastering Bread by Marc Vetri, Claire Kopp McWilliams and David Joachim. Published by Penguin Random House. Hardcover.
304 pages.