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The Art of Baking with Natural Yeast: Breads, Pancakes, Waffles, Cinnamon Rolls and Muffins
This is the book you've been waiting for! With groundbreaking information about the health benefits of natural yeast, this book will forever change the way you bake. Did you know commercial yeast is so foreign to our bodies that many people are allergic to it? But natural yeast converts dough into a digestible, vitamin-rich food that's free from harmful enzymes and won't spike your body's defenses. Improve your health and happiness with the delicious recipes in this groundbreaking book that will teach you to prepare and bake with natural yeast!
176 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2012
76 people are currently reading
278 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
September 10, 2012
Read this book from the beginning. It will answer your questions better that way than If you just skim thru it looking for answers. The history of yeast, and why the need to go back to using natural yeast, as well as how yeast works and much more are all explained in easy-to-understand layman's terms. Recipes with detailed instructions follow, including beautiful full-color photos.
The printing and layout of the pages are also beautifully well done. My only complaint: the print is so small as to make it hard to read. A lot of information is packed into one or two pages at a time. At times I wished the info was either spread over more pages, or else the pages were a full 8 1/2 by 11. Either one of those options would have allowed for a larger font.
I can hardly wait to get started growing my own yeast with the little flakes of yeast that I received when I purchased this book. I love that Melissa tells how to feed and care for your "pet," including giving it a name, in a way that keeps it manageable. I can see already that my first loaf of bread is still a few months away, as I will need time to get my yeast-care habits established, but with her patient encouragement it will be well worth my training.
The printing and layout of the pages are also beautifully well done. My only complaint: the print is so small as to make it hard to read. A lot of information is packed into one or two pages at a time. At times I wished the info was either spread over more pages, or else the pages were a full 8 1/2 by 11. Either one of those options would have allowed for a larger font.
I can hardly wait to get started growing my own yeast with the little flakes of yeast that I received when I purchased this book. I love that Melissa tells how to feed and care for your "pet," including giving it a name, in a way that keeps it manageable. I can see already that my first loaf of bread is still a few months away, as I will need time to get my yeast-care habits established, but with her patient encouragement it will be well worth my training.
October 1, 2012
Everyone needs to learn about natural yeast! Our bodies are not made for fake foods and that is what we are all consuming! Melissa does an amazing job explaining what natural yeast is and why we should be growing our own yeast at home. I can't wait to try all the recipes after my yeast start is ready.
February 24, 2014
First off. I wouldn't say this is really a cookbook, as I expected. Yes, there are some recipes, but not very many and they sort of seem like a rushed after-thought, hoping to crank something out before the publishing deadline or something - a couple of them (ones that I was really looking forward to trying) are not complete recipes. They appear to be missing a few steps and I'm too confused to try them out.
This book is eye-candy! The pictures are awesome. The pages, fonts, layouts, colors- all beautifully done.
The writing is so fun to read through. Very getting-the-lowdown-from-your-friendly-quirky-neighbor. Loved reading it!
That being said, it's not really a great reference book. You really have to read through the whole book to get the info you want. It's not easily skimmed for pertinent info. It would have been really nice to have an FAQ section at the end or summaries of the main points somewhere, because though it was so much fun to read through, sometimes you just want to get the low-down and get going with your new healthy eating, right?
I thought it was odd that though this is a book all about baking with natural yeast, it doesn't actually tell you how to make your own starter, even though a few online searches make it seem like they could have done so in a page or less.
I tried one of the recipes, and wished I had been warned that the pancake batter would be a bit... slimey... cause I was nervous. But they were completely edible! Hurrah!
I'm really excited by this concept and just wish there were more examples of how to convert other trusted recipes for using natural yeast instead, given that there are so few recipes offered. Also, I wish she would have talked more about the difference between a "natural yeast starter" and a "sour dough starter". Or maybe there isn't one? She doesn't clearly say so, only that not all starters taste sour.
This book is eye-candy! The pictures are awesome. The pages, fonts, layouts, colors- all beautifully done.
The writing is so fun to read through. Very getting-the-lowdown-from-your-friendly-quirky-neighbor. Loved reading it!
That being said, it's not really a great reference book. You really have to read through the whole book to get the info you want. It's not easily skimmed for pertinent info. It would have been really nice to have an FAQ section at the end or summaries of the main points somewhere, because though it was so much fun to read through, sometimes you just want to get the low-down and get going with your new healthy eating, right?
I thought it was odd that though this is a book all about baking with natural yeast, it doesn't actually tell you how to make your own starter, even though a few online searches make it seem like they could have done so in a page or less.
I tried one of the recipes, and wished I had been warned that the pancake batter would be a bit... slimey... cause I was nervous. But they were completely edible! Hurrah!
I'm really excited by this concept and just wish there were more examples of how to convert other trusted recipes for using natural yeast instead, given that there are so few recipes offered. Also, I wish she would have talked more about the difference between a "natural yeast starter" and a "sour dough starter". Or maybe there isn't one? She doesn't clearly say so, only that not all starters taste sour.
August 1, 2013
A friend of mine is really into baking and suggested I get this book for my own limited forays into the kitchen. She made a bunch of sour dough rolls for me, and though I don't actually like sour dough myself, I was interested enough to get the book for myself.
The book is lovely. It's a beautiful copy, and the recipes look absolutely delicious. I enjoyed the explanations, the sense of humor, and even the fact that after admitting baking with natural yeast can be tricky at first, the authors provided recipes to save the inevitable bad first loaves. The yeast "pet" thing just sounds sort of fun, and after watching my friend work with hers, I don't think it'll be all that complicated.
EDIT: It took several weeks--somewhere around a month and a half--to get a yeast sample, and the flakes took an absurdly long time to dissolve, but my yeast pet is now growing. Looking forward to the bread!
The book is lovely. It's a beautiful copy, and the recipes look absolutely delicious. I enjoyed the explanations, the sense of humor, and even the fact that after admitting baking with natural yeast can be tricky at first, the authors provided recipes to save the inevitable bad first loaves. The yeast "pet" thing just sounds sort of fun, and after watching my friend work with hers, I don't think it'll be all that complicated.
EDIT: It took several weeks--somewhere around a month and a half--to get a yeast sample, and the flakes took an absurdly long time to dissolve, but my yeast pet is now growing. Looking forward to the bread!
February 18, 2016
She's convinced me. I knew there was something wrong about all the hype about gluten and paleo and stuff. God told us to eat grain, so we should be able to. Celiac and gluten intolerance should be rare. Steve and I already grind wheat (a lot cheaper than buying flour) with our lovely wheat grinder we got for Christmas and we bake bread with it. I got a yeast start from my in-laws and have been making bread with it. I'm interested to see if it'll help with homemade bread going bad like she says. Processed bread has preservatives to make up for what commercial yeast can't do, but that's part of all the benefits of natural yeast. It definitely takes longer to prep, though, since it rises very slowly. I'm putting the finish date of the book in the year I started using the yeast start, though I probably haven't read all the recipes.
March 17, 2013
This book has changed my life. I have been gluten intolerant for over 10 years and since starting my own natural yeast I have been eating whole wheat for over 4 weeks now with no side effects. I have to say it was very frustrating to get my sample starter (received from Caleb) going but after doing further research online and with some strong encouragement from family after 3 weeks it finally took off. My first few attempts at bread were pathetic since the yeast was not doubling in size but we also made the crepes and pancakes recipes from the book and those were delicious.
I do want to note that I have only found success making beautiful, light, delicious whole wheat loaves when I use all of my starter (about 2 cups) leaving only 1/4 cup at the bottom to feed and grow again.
I do want to note that I have only found success making beautiful, light, delicious whole wheat loaves when I use all of my starter (about 2 cups) leaving only 1/4 cup at the bottom to feed and grow again.
May 19, 2013
This is a fantastic bread making book! Over the past 6 months it has become a staple in my kitchen. I love the breezy tone of the book, while also getting educated on wholesome, delicious methods and recipes. The blueberry muffins are often requested by my kids, and I love the pancakes, waffles, and molasses bread. I'm looking forward to trying the chocolate cake!!! Thanks to this book, I've also learned how to keep a yeast starter alive - yay - and have used that start in many of our favorite family bread recipes.
Thanks for this great book!
Thanks for this great book!
December 28, 2017
I'm a little mixed on this book which overall I enjoyed reading. Many many months ago I grew my own starter and began the sourdough bread baking journey. I'm probably 30-40 loaves in before I picked this book up at the library and I will say it filled in some gaps in my bread baking knowledge which is awesome! The downside I feel is the amount of mistakes/omissions in the recipes. If you're comfortable winging it in the kitchen and catch the recipe problem in time you can probably figure out a way to correct course. It has potential to be a good resource.
May 10, 2020
This was a really helpful resource to get my natural yeast start going. However, the instructions were not clear enough to stand alone. I love her refrigerator method for storing yeast to keep it mild and low maintenance. I've liked recipes I've found other places better. Overall, I'm glad to have the resource.
March 27, 2018
This book was a game changer for at least one of my gluten free friends. Given to me by my mother in law who thought at the time that she had Celiac Disease (though later discovered she really had bone cancer which eventually took her life.) Something for all of us to be concerned about.
November 10, 2019
Really interesting to learn about yeast, and worth the read. Love the academic approach to baking, but this book desperately needed another round of editing. Looking forward to trying some of the recipes!
February 26, 2021
This is an Excellent book on do-it-yourself sourdough baking! Absolutely recommend!! I made a truly successful sourdough loaf for the first time ever because of this book! Step-by-step instructions complete with photos. And trouble-shooting. It’s Perfect. And...Yay!! Hooray!!
February 6, 2022
This taught me so much! I wish it came with a recipe to start your own starter though. Besides that I have already tried 4recipes using my own natural rye starter and they have been fantastic! This is a book I will add to my kitchen library!
January 5, 2017
This book teaches how to grow and keep a healthy sourdough starter most excellently, but I haven't enjoyed some of the recipes.
October 28, 2019
Step by step instructions for all things sourdough, including making sourdough from wheat berries.
September 17, 2020
Excellent cookbook. So many recipes are going in my collection.
March 24, 2017
I love this book! It has opened a whole new world to me and I have been busy learning about natural yeast and how to do it. Great book!
December 21, 2016
I have my natural yeast growing in the fridge and am still working to get it functioning as a part of our life. I enjoyed the vast amount of tips, tricks, and information in this book, but will reserve a higher rating until I can consistently bake bread for my family (four loaves a week plus pizza dough, rolls, and breadsticks). I have gotten two good loaves from my starter, but my kids didn't love it, so I will keep trying. I also want to see if it really helps those who are gluten intolerant as I am skeptical of the claims (we have no gluten problems in our home, but I have a willing victim awaiting a trial). I started my own natural yeast from potato water and flour and it is growing well (not doubling, but obviously fermenting), but the start I received from the author smells awful and isn't growing at all (I've been working on it for a month and a half and following directions exactly including trying to "sweeten" it--I will keep trying, though). I was astounded by the typos in this book as many of the recipes are completely jumbled up, making you question the directions on the recipe or if the body of the recipe (or ingredients) even goes with the directions or title on the page. Page references were completely missing or wrong. That should not happen in a published book!
March 11, 2014
This book helped me revamp my sourdough starter and learn how to keep it healthy and happy. This was very valuable to me. I also learned a lot of basics about sourdough as well as a new recipe for fluffy sourdough bread that resembles commercial yeast bread in texture.
I have used the "purebread" (wheatright.com)sourdough starter method in the past which I still really love. This bread requires no kneading and makes beautiful whole grain artisan loaves with very little effort. This has and will still work well for my family. But it is fun to have the option to make a fluffier whole grain bread that my younger children like better, even if it requires a little kneading. It was super fun to learn how to do this right, using the windowpane technique (and the kitchenaid!)
I like that this author also has recipes for a no knead bread (which I haven't yet tried), and pizzas, and scones, and chocolate cake! This book has a lot of basic recipes and basic information for a beginner to start with, or someone to fill in knowledge gaps. I highly recommend this book as a great way to begin baking with natural yeast.
I have used the "purebread" (wheatright.com)sourdough starter method in the past which I still really love. This bread requires no kneading and makes beautiful whole grain artisan loaves with very little effort. This has and will still work well for my family. But it is fun to have the option to make a fluffier whole grain bread that my younger children like better, even if it requires a little kneading. It was super fun to learn how to do this right, using the windowpane technique (and the kitchenaid!)
I like that this author also has recipes for a no knead bread (which I haven't yet tried), and pizzas, and scones, and chocolate cake! This book has a lot of basic recipes and basic information for a beginner to start with, or someone to fill in knowledge gaps. I highly recommend this book as a great way to begin baking with natural yeast.
February 9, 2013
I don't usually read cookbooks, though this is more than that. It is a call to use starter (think sourdough, though they can also be sweet) to improve life and lifestyle. It was interesting, I'm intrigued, and I'm giving some thought to trying it. It does seem a lot of work--baking stuff regularly, so I will sit with it awhile to see if I'm ready to take the plunge. I have issues with watering houseplants regularly and was relieved when our cat died after 16 years* and this starter thing sounds more involved than either of those. The pioneering spirit appeals, but my flesh is weak.
I took away a star for typos and page references missing. Better proofing please.
*Yes, I was sad also.
I took away a star for typos and page references missing. Better proofing please.
*Yes, I was sad also.
April 28, 2014
I love this book! It's a must read for anyone with gluten intolerance. I love how the book begins with a short history of the evolution of the yeast industry, and how it changed the way bread is made. I am currently nurturing my own natural yeast bread starter, (adopted from my friend Claudia) and hope to begin making bread with it soon! I also love the other recipe options in this book, for quick breads and waffles. The pictures and very specific instructions are terrific. If you're interested in doing this yourself, Melissa Richardson has a helpful blog at www.thebreadgeek.com; and you can also find her on Facebook.
October 1, 2012
This is a cookbook/informational book on how to bake with natural yeast. It was very interesting and now I'm excited to get my yeast start and give it a try.
There were a couple issues with the book that makes it feel like it's a first edition and hopefully they will keep doing research and come out with a clearer second edition. They are very excited about their natural yeast and excited to share what they have learned and get the word out there quickly. There is still a lot of studying to be done though and recipes to be made. This is a great start though.
Thanks for the book Mom!
There were a couple issues with the book that makes it feel like it's a first edition and hopefully they will keep doing research and come out with a clearer second edition. They are very excited about their natural yeast and excited to share what they have learned and get the word out there quickly. There is still a lot of studying to be done though and recipes to be made. This is a great start though.
Thanks for the book Mom!
July 12, 2013
I got a lot of information on baking bread with natural yeast starter (sourdough starter) that I didn't already know. I've baked bread for years, and this is more than likely the method that my grandparents and great-grandparents used.
Side note: I've made two batches of bread so far with this type of natural yeast, and it's pretty good. It's not quite the same as my regular bread, but that doesn't mean it isn't just as tasty as using traditional yeast.
Side note: I've made two batches of bread so far with this type of natural yeast, and it's pretty good. It's not quite the same as my regular bread, but that doesn't mean it isn't just as tasty as using traditional yeast.
December 3, 2012
I am going to start this right now. I have many family members who are stuggling with eating problems...this could be the cure! I have been baking for them gluten-free...this sounds like a good alternative to that! Loved the information packed in this cookbook. I can't wait until I can try some of the recipes!
May 23, 2013
Loved this book. Have been baking bread weekly for about 3 months. It is seriously the best wheat bread ever. My kids eat it constantly. The Honey Maple Sandwich bread is the best but I add a little coconut oil.
Highly recommend this for anyone who has wheat issues and/or is attempting to eat more naturally.
Highly recommend this for anyone who has wheat issues and/or is attempting to eat more naturally.
July 11, 2013
I enjoy baking with natural yeast. I can feel the difference in my whole wheat goods. While there are a lot of typos and inconsistencies in this book -- very annoying -- the recipes have been well worth the annoyances. My family has loved the quick breakfasts -- crepes, waffles, pancakes, and the bread has been straightforward. A great way to start baking with natural yeast.
February 2, 2014
I've been using natural yeast for over a year now and I love it. It is of course not without it's challenges, but the bread is the best tasting wheat bread I have ever made, and it is so healthy, and over time has solved a lot of my digestive issues. You can use natural yeast without the book, but it is so helpful to have it on hand when questions arise.
January 17, 2013
I really enjoyed the way it was written!! I had some of the greatest laughs while learning The Art of Baking;) They give you a great sense of direction and with a little research, we all can be baking masters! Great recipes too
July 20, 2013
It's just a cookbook, so rating it "amazing" seems kind of funny, but I'm just fascinated with sourdough these days, what can I say? I love having a little pet in my fridge that has to be fed and watered and that produces the yummiest and healthiest foods.
October 1, 2016
Well, this book just changed my world. Suddenly all the conflicting reports of whether or not wheat is good for you are put to rest. If you think you can't or shouldn't eat wheat, you need to read this book. I have a couple of jars of natural yeast on my counter right now!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews