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Josey Baker Bread: Get Baking • Make Great Bread • Be Happy!
This is the first true entry-level bread-baking cookbook, from Josey Baker (that's his real name!), a former science teacher turned San Francisco baking sensation. Josey Baker Bread combines step-by-step lessons with more than 100 photographs, offering easy-to-follow guidance for aspiring bakers. Recipes start with the basic formula for making bread— requiring little more than flour, water, time, and a pan—and build in depth and detail as the user progresses to more complex loaves, including Josey's cult favorite Dark Mountain Rye. With chapters dedicated to pizza, pocketbreads, and treats, Josey's playful, encouraging tone makes for a fun read full of great advice for bakers of all levels.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published March 4, 2014
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365 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
May 7, 2021
If half stars were allowed, the rating would be 2.5 stars
Well. I guess this is one way when to confirm that bread baking isn't rocket science.... Josey Baker's writing is very folksy and cute - for me, painfully folksy and cute.
Mercifully though, brushing Jose Baker's eccentric writing style aside, it appears that this book aimed at beginner bread bakers contains mostly good advice, even though, for the first recipe in chapter 1, Josey Baker "purposefully left out a bunch of details, equipment, and ingredients that will help you make even better bread, because I didn't want to overwhelm you if you've never baked before". And at the end of the first recipe, there is a trouble-shooting section:
Page 72?! Why not right there on page 22 - at the beginning? The instruction to allow the bread to cool completely belongs in the instructions for that first loaf, rather than well after the fact.
The following note also belongs right at the beginning, rather than in lesson 2. Also, it would be wise to remove the word "intimidated". Using a scale to weigh the ingredients is no more difficult than using measuring cups. Using a scale requires less rummaging for various cups and spoons, as well as less cleanup. And, as Josey Baker points out, it is the superior method.
For scoring (or "slashing", as Josey Baker says), there are good pointers with good, clear photos on page 38 in lesson 3: a hearth loaf.
Trying not to let myself be so annoyed by the wording that to make me not want raisin bread ever again, this made me laugh out loud:
There is quite an extensive chapter on sourdough starters and sourdough bread.
Strangely, Josey Baker advocates measuring by volume. He also advocates maintaining the starter with equal amounts of flour and water - equal by volume rather than weight! Thus he proves that bread-making isn't rocket science and that bread just wants to be bread.
Needlessly following the majority of sourdough starter recipes, there is the instruction on page 54 that "each time you feed it, you throw away most of the starter, leaving behind just a little bit to propagate the culture of wild yeast and bacteria" and "mix in roughly equal parts whole-wheat flour and water". At least "it really pained [him] to throw it away".... Also, he says to compost the discard, rather than to throw it in the garbage or down the drain.
Strangely, "roughly equal" is really very roughly. To go into "roughly a tablespoon's worth of starter" (about 15 grams), here is Josey Baker's measurements in "roughly equal" amounts:
• "3/4 cup/105 g" whole wheat flour
• "1/2 cup/120 g" water
Here is what I would use, measuring in equal amounts by weight, with that same 15 grams or so of starter:
• 60 grams (1/2 cup) whole wheat flour
• 60 grams (1/4 cup) water
I'm not quite certain how Josey Baker arrived at 105 grams whole wheat flour in 3/4 cup. I'm also not certain how he claims that 3/4 cup is roughly equal to 1/2 cup....
Using his method, Josey Baker says it will take 2 weeks (!) before the starter is ready to use as a leavener. (Our starter, created and going strong since July 2017, with equal measurements of whole wheat flour and water by weight - and zero throwing away - was ready to be used for baking bread in 5 days.)
Sadly, little instruction is included about how to tell if the starter is ready, aside from "take a big whiff. It should be putting off a pretty strong smell, nice and yummy, maybe a touch sour". There is no mention of bubbles, watching for over-fermentation, or testing a small amount to see if the starter floats in water.
In "lesson 6: hearth sourdough", there are still no cautionary notes about over-rising and only a guideline for what percent of the original size the shaped loaf should be before it is ready to bake. This aspect of watching for over-fermentation does not really appear until pages 71 and 72 in lesson 8 (the 3rd sourdough loaf), saying that proofing can take "as little as an hour (in a warm kitchen) and up to 2 days (in a cool fridge)". And finally! there is also a description of a simple little test to use to check to see if the bread is ready to bake, as well as the following cautionary note if the loaf fails the proofing test and it has over-risen:
Riddled throughout are phrases that might be charming in real life but grate when seen in print. Indeed, some of them are so cute I'm going to puke....
• so lemme ask
• Mush it up real nice
• Don't get all nervous
• so gosh darn delicious
• Get pumped
• You're gonna pee your pants, it's so good.
• let that sucker get stale
• be sure to tell 'em that Josey Baker sent ya
• Use starter that is sour smelling in a good way [This is just not quite enough information for the beginner bread baker]
• Mix it up real good
• take a big whiff
• Stir it up with your strong hands 'til it's good and mixed together
Ignoring the down-home, folksy wording, as well as the alarm bells sounding at using "hot water (as hot as your tap can get)" to soak seeds (boil cold water - who knows how long that hot water has been festering in the tank?), there are some decent looking recipes. The following call to me.
Bookmarked:
• seed feast, p.83
• sesame poppy, p.91
• whole wheat cinnamon raisin, p.116
• dark mountain rye, p.137
+++++++++++++
I'm so sorry, Josey Baker. I'm afraid I can't promise; I'm afraid I'm not laughing.... even though I love chocolate peanut butter cups. (Don't the peanut butter cup pieces get pulverized, after you "chop them up roughly"? Surely you put them in the last stretch and fold, rather than throwing them in at the beginning.)
Now, if only you had said how to make chocolate peanut butter cups, it would be a different story altogether. I would be laughing. And I wouldn't be picking on you.
Well. I guess this is one way when to confirm that bread baking isn't rocket science.... Josey Baker's writing is very folksy and cute - for me, painfully folksy and cute.
Well, hello there! I'm so totally pumped that you and I are here together, sharing this moment. I mean, this is the culmination of a TON of hard work, and I think this is the beginning of something really, really beautiful. . . .
you: Whoaaa there, hold your horses. I don't even know you! I just picked up this book to take a peek, not to have some awkward "very meaningful moment" with a stranger. [introduction]
Mercifully though, brushing Jose Baker's eccentric writing style aside, it appears that this book aimed at beginner bread bakers contains mostly good advice, even though, for the first recipe in chapter 1, Josey Baker "purposefully left out a bunch of details, equipment, and ingredients that will help you make even better bread, because I didn't want to overwhelm you if you've never baked before". And at the end of the first recipe, there is a trouble-shooting section:
WHY ISN'T MY BREAD TURNING OUT THE WAY I WANT IT TO? Aha, a very good question, ambitious baker that you are. [...] This might have to do with temperature, so lemme ask—are you making the bread in a place that's a little warm (above 80°F/27°C) or a little cool (below 60°F/15°C)? [...] (For tips on how to know when the loaf is ready to go into the oven, check out page 72.) [lesson 1: your first loaf of bread, p.22]
The bread is gooey! Ewwww. Did you wait for it to cool? When the bread first comes out of the oven it is actually still baking, so you simply must give it time to cool down. [lesson 1: your first loaf of bread, p.23]
Page 72?! Why not right there on page 22 - at the beginning? The instruction to allow the bread to cool completely belongs in the instructions for that first loaf, rather than well after the fact.
The following note also belongs right at the beginning, rather than in lesson 2. Also, it would be wise to remove the word "intimidated". Using a scale to weigh the ingredients is no more difficult than using measuring cups. Using a scale requires less rummaging for various cups and spoons, as well as less cleanup. And, as Josey Baker points out, it is the superior method.
Many beginning bakers are intimidated by recipes that call for weighing the ingredients, but hands down, it's a superior method. So [...] get yourself a nice little digital scale—it'll make a world of difference. [lesson 2: a two part mix, p.29]
For scoring (or "slashing", as Josey Baker says), there are good pointers with good, clear photos on page 38 in lesson 3: a hearth loaf.
Trying not to let myself be so annoyed by the wording that to make me not want raisin bread ever again, this made me laugh out loud:
Who doesn't like cinnamon raisin toast? Jerks, that's who. I'm kidding, but really, cinnamon raisin bread is so gosh darn delicious, especially when it's toasted up real nice, with some melted salty butter on top. [lesson 4: many loaves in one, p.48]
There is quite an extensive chapter on sourdough starters and sourdough bread.
People think sourdough starters are very hard to make or keep alive, and this is most definitely NOT TRUE. On the contrary, sourdough starters are very hard to kill. [taming the wild yeast/sourdough, p.57]
Strangely, Josey Baker advocates measuring by volume. He also advocates maintaining the starter with equal amounts of flour and water - equal by volume rather than weight! Thus he proves that bread-making isn't rocket science and that bread just wants to be bread.
Needlessly following the majority of sourdough starter recipes, there is the instruction on page 54 that "each time you feed it, you throw away most of the starter, leaving behind just a little bit to propagate the culture of wild yeast and bacteria" and "mix in roughly equal parts whole-wheat flour and water". At least "it really pained [him] to throw it away".... Also, he says to compost the discard, rather than to throw it in the garbage or down the drain.
Strangely, "roughly equal" is really very roughly. To go into "roughly a tablespoon's worth of starter" (about 15 grams), here is Josey Baker's measurements in "roughly equal" amounts:
• "3/4 cup/105 g" whole wheat flour
• "1/2 cup/120 g" water
Here is what I would use, measuring in equal amounts by weight, with that same 15 grams or so of starter:
• 60 grams (1/2 cup) whole wheat flour
• 60 grams (1/4 cup) water
I'm not quite certain how Josey Baker arrived at 105 grams whole wheat flour in 3/4 cup. I'm also not certain how he claims that 3/4 cup is roughly equal to 1/2 cup....
Using his method, Josey Baker says it will take 2 weeks (!) before the starter is ready to use as a leavener. (Our starter, created and going strong since July 2017, with equal measurements of whole wheat flour and water by weight - and zero throwing away - was ready to be used for baking bread in 5 days.)
Sadly, little instruction is included about how to tell if the starter is ready, aside from "take a big whiff. It should be putting off a pretty strong smell, nice and yummy, maybe a touch sour". There is no mention of bubbles, watching for over-fermentation, or testing a small amount to see if the starter floats in water.
In "lesson 6: hearth sourdough", there are still no cautionary notes about over-rising and only a guideline for what percent of the original size the shaped loaf should be before it is ready to bake. This aspect of watching for over-fermentation does not really appear until pages 71 and 72 in lesson 8 (the 3rd sourdough loaf), saying that proofing can take "as little as an hour (in a warm kitchen) and up to 2 days (in a cool fridge)". And finally! there is also a description of a simple little test to use to check to see if the bread is ready to bake, as well as the following cautionary note if the loaf fails the proofing test and it has over-risen:
This can really ruin your day. [...] [I]f you let your loaf proof for too long, everything comes crashing down. [...] [T]here's no way to reinflate it. So what happens is that your loaf comes out flat, with a rubbery, pale crust. This type of thing happens to every baker once in a while. Don't get too sad—it's a learning experience. Just don't ever, ever, EVER let it happen again. [lesson 8: hearth sourdough no3, p.72]
Riddled throughout are phrases that might be charming in real life but grate when seen in print. Indeed, some of them are so cute I'm going to puke....
• so lemme ask
• Mush it up real nice
• Don't get all nervous
• so gosh darn delicious
• Get pumped
• You're gonna pee your pants, it's so good.
• let that sucker get stale
• be sure to tell 'em that Josey Baker sent ya
• Use starter that is sour smelling in a good way [This is just not quite enough information for the beginner bread baker]
• Mix it up real good
• take a big whiff
• Stir it up with your strong hands 'til it's good and mixed together
Ignoring the down-home, folksy wording, as well as the alarm bells sounding at using "hot water (as hot as your tap can get)" to soak seeds (boil cold water - who knows how long that hot water has been festering in the tank?), there are some decent looking recipes. The following call to me.
Bookmarked:
• seed feast, p.83
• sesame poppy, p.91
• whole wheat cinnamon raisin, p.116
• dark mountain rye, p.137
+++++++++++++
You're gonna laugh when you find out what makes these so good. Are you ready? No, I can't tell you—I'm a little embarrassed. Okay, okay, you promise you won't pick on me? Ya really, really promise? Chocolate peanut butter cups! Yup, it's that simple, folks. [chocolate peanut butter, p.179]
I'm so sorry, Josey Baker. I'm afraid I can't promise; I'm afraid I'm not laughing.... even though I love chocolate peanut butter cups. (Don't the peanut butter cup pieces get pulverized, after you "chop them up roughly"? Surely you put them in the last stretch and fold, rather than throwing them in at the beginning.)
Now, if only you had said how to make chocolate peanut butter cups, it would be a different story altogether. I would be laughing. And I wouldn't be picking on you.
October 15, 2019
I am usually not in the habit of leaving 5-star reviews before I'm totally done with a book, but seeing how things have turned out, I am left with no choice...
Josey transmits so much enthusiasm about the art of baking bread that it is no coincidence he has won accolades all over; he deserves every superlative thrown his way. He is funny, easy to follow, and the book is clearly organized with plenty of pictures to knead along.
I began with an easy recipe for a simple loaf using commercial yeast and a short turnaround time. The results were good but not impressive; edible, but not something I'd be proud to share with close ones. On this Josey is clear, as his goal is to get you comfortable with the ingredients and the process before jumping into more advanced methods.
From here you're introduced to the multi-step process where you prepare a pre-ferment the night before baking to allow the dough to develop flavor. As with your skills, the results start looking and tasting better.
But the real reason I got the book in the first place, was to learn how to make the much sought-after sourdough bread. Like all good things, it takes time and patience, as you must first get your "sourdough starter" going which took almost two weeks of daily feeding until I was satisfied with the result.
Once your starter is all bubbly and smelling of vinegar and beer, you may begin prepping your dough which begins the night before and continues in spurts of folding and kneading until you've built enough gluten to let the dough relax and proof (every hour for 4 hours).
Finally, it's off to the oven after many hours of intermittent care and attention. Honest, the results are worth it not just in the flavor department, but in the knowledge that you've tamed the beast and learned a mystical skill that has largely remained unchanged for millennia. You'll also gain a brand new appreciation for bread and the people baking it.
Josey transmits so much enthusiasm about the art of baking bread that it is no coincidence he has won accolades all over; he deserves every superlative thrown his way. He is funny, easy to follow, and the book is clearly organized with plenty of pictures to knead along.
I began with an easy recipe for a simple loaf using commercial yeast and a short turnaround time. The results were good but not impressive; edible, but not something I'd be proud to share with close ones. On this Josey is clear, as his goal is to get you comfortable with the ingredients and the process before jumping into more advanced methods.
From here you're introduced to the multi-step process where you prepare a pre-ferment the night before baking to allow the dough to develop flavor. As with your skills, the results start looking and tasting better.
But the real reason I got the book in the first place, was to learn how to make the much sought-after sourdough bread. Like all good things, it takes time and patience, as you must first get your "sourdough starter" going which took almost two weeks of daily feeding until I was satisfied with the result.
Once your starter is all bubbly and smelling of vinegar and beer, you may begin prepping your dough which begins the night before and continues in spurts of folding and kneading until you've built enough gluten to let the dough relax and proof (every hour for 4 hours).
Finally, it's off to the oven after many hours of intermittent care and attention. Honest, the results are worth it not just in the flavor department, but in the knowledge that you've tamed the beast and learned a mystical skill that has largely remained unchanged for millennia. You'll also gain a brand new appreciation for bread and the people baking it.
April 19, 2014
The subtitle on my edition has changed to "Get Baking - Make Great Bread - Be Happy!" for which I am grateful because I just hate the word "awesome."
Part of the way through. Very informally written, very 21st century. Sentences like: Who doesn't like cinnamon raisin toast? Jerks, that's who. I'm kidding, but really...
I like this very, very much. It's well-organized and should put any novice at ease by doing away with all bread-baking intimidation. And it's challenging for the intermediates as well.
Don't worry about any of this stuff for now. Just follow my directions and come back to this in a couple of weeks, and marvel at how much simpler it seems.
See what I mean?
Part of the way through. Very informally written, very 21st century. Sentences like: Who doesn't like cinnamon raisin toast? Jerks, that's who. I'm kidding, but really...
I like this very, very much. It's well-organized and should put any novice at ease by doing away with all bread-baking intimidation. And it's challenging for the intermediates as well.
Don't worry about any of this stuff for now. Just follow my directions and come back to this in a couple of weeks, and marvel at how much simpler it seems.
See what I mean?
May 8, 2020
This book has helped me tremendously in my sourdough adventure. I've recommended it to many people and it's now the only book I use when making sourdough bread. There is flour throughout my pages!
July 18, 2015
I am constantly reading bread books and need to start putting more of them in my good reads. This bread book, which I found at Cost Plus World Market but bought on Amazon (who can pay $27.50 for any book?!), has quickly become one of my favorite bread books. I love the format of the book. It is written in a really down to earth, conversational style and full of helpful Q & A's throughout. It is accessible and easy to understand without being dumbed down and I can attest that the recipes are legit as I have already baked from it. I also loved reading this guy's story of how his love for baking bread and hard work therein brought him to where he is today, an owner of a successful bakery in San Francisco. I have a pretty good sized bread book library and even though I love bread books, having so many can make it hard to find any new info or different recipes. This book has a great and simple baking method as well as a number of unique recipes. A must have book for any avid bread baker.
June 13, 2015
In addition to offering easy to follow technique in a cheeky style, this book tells the story of how Josey Baker started baking bread and his path to a successful bakery in San Francisco. It's a truly motivational story about following your heart and doing what you love. While developing and nurturing a sourdough starter at home is more than I want to tackle, I'm sure I would find Baker's book easy to follow if I chose to. I've used his approach with my regular yeast leavened breads and have definitely seen improvement in my loaves.
September 20, 2022
If Bill and Ted wrote a baking book this would be it: "The Raddest Home Baking Adventure". I was so confused by the cringey language; Josey Baker likes the word "stuff" a LOT and peppers it liberally throughout. Is this California speak? A YA version of a cookbook? Teenage Mutant Ninja Bakers? Please help me out here folks.
That is the greatest pity about this book, because having experienced Josey Baker on a Zoom baking webinar during lockdown, and seeing him on a number of programmes, I know he has an infectious, exuberant personality and is passionate about every aspect of his craft.
Setting that aside, the "sciencey" part of breadbaking is all jumbled up across the chapters and hurried at times. I can see by the ratings that this isn't an issue for many, but I find it would be confusing for a beginner baker. I do agree with him on just getting stuck into baking and learning along the way - that's how I learnt, but a more logical way of organising the theory would have made more sense.
His starter method confused me also. He seems to be doing a large feed so that the mother has enough to feed on for a couple of days, but then he doesn't explain feeding ratios, water temperature, ambient temperature and how this affects maturation.
This is a 3 star for me, only because Josey is such an exemplary baker and he has included what look to me as solid and very accessible formulas (i.e. manageable hydration levels) yielding unfussy, honest bread.
That is the greatest pity about this book, because having experienced Josey Baker on a Zoom baking webinar during lockdown, and seeing him on a number of programmes, I know he has an infectious, exuberant personality and is passionate about every aspect of his craft.
Setting that aside, the "sciencey" part of breadbaking is all jumbled up across the chapters and hurried at times. I can see by the ratings that this isn't an issue for many, but I find it would be confusing for a beginner baker. I do agree with him on just getting stuck into baking and learning along the way - that's how I learnt, but a more logical way of organising the theory would have made more sense.
His starter method confused me also. He seems to be doing a large feed so that the mother has enough to feed on for a couple of days, but then he doesn't explain feeding ratios, water temperature, ambient temperature and how this affects maturation.
This is a 3 star for me, only because Josey is such an exemplary baker and he has included what look to me as solid and very accessible formulas (i.e. manageable hydration levels) yielding unfussy, honest bread.
November 23, 2019
Rather than just being a collection of bread recipes, this book presents a series of lessons in making bread, starting with a very simple recipe and proceeding gradually to more complex methods. All of the recipes (I think) use a wet dough with long rise times instead of kneading. It is fun to read the book, fun to look at the pictures, fun to make the bread -- and most of all, fun to eat the bread!
My first two loaves were a little flat. What was wrong? I didn't let the dough rise long enough? My wife was punching it down? I figured out that I needed to adjust the quantity of ingredients: the recipes were for an 8 x 4 inch loaf pan, but mine was 9 x 5, which is 41% larger. So the third loaf came out big, as desired.
I have to interrupt my reading and bread making after lesson 2, but I hope to come back to this some day.
My first two loaves were a little flat. What was wrong? I didn't let the dough rise long enough? My wife was punching it down? I figured out that I needed to adjust the quantity of ingredients: the recipes were for an 8 x 4 inch loaf pan, but mine was 9 x 5, which is 41% larger. So the third loaf came out big, as desired.
I have to interrupt my reading and bread making after lesson 2, but I hope to come back to this some day.
May 2, 2020
Why is there not a picture for every loaf of bread? I do not understand that. And much less so during a pandemic. I know it’s unfair of me to hold this book to a higher standard because of the global atmosphere but listen, I’m going to. Some loaves have dozens of pictures and others, not a single one. However I am intrigued by the loaves that are absolutely covered in sesame seeds. Will definitely be trying that technique with my bread recipes. Good try. More pictures next time.
May 17, 2020
Joyful, well-structured, inspiring.
Two months into lockdown, I'm sick of baking daily bread and scrounging flour. The lessons in this book give me the fuel to keep feeding my people, and to try more ambitious loaves tomorrow. Loved the stories of how Josey's generosity with his passionate hobby baking grew a community that put him in business.
Two months into lockdown, I'm sick of baking daily bread and scrounging flour. The lessons in this book give me the fuel to keep feeding my people, and to try more ambitious loaves tomorrow. Loved the stories of how Josey's generosity with his passionate hobby baking grew a community that put him in business.
January 31, 2021
The bread from this book came out just the way I like it- so far I’ve made loaf number 2 and sourdough loaf #1. The texture is moist and springy, and the crust is crusty and crisp. Freezes well. Don’t care one way or another about the narrative-y folksy style of the directions, might be your cup of tea or not. However bread is good! Pocket breads are on my to-do list.
January 29, 2024
I am working through the book with my 10yo. The simple straight forward explanation of the process combined with a touch of humor has been great for keeping us motivated. We have had some slight not great results (never a failure) but the book has provided explanations for what probably caused those and we have been able to correct.
May 7, 2017
Lovely bread book....best to make the sourdough starter to begin with (unless you can get some from a friend) and best to have quite a bit of time and patience for some serious delicious bread making.
November 16, 2020
Excellent - best beginner and even advanced guide ever
The instructions are super clear and repeated several times which is just what I needed. My bread is so good and it’s all because of this book.
The instructions are super clear and repeated several times which is just what I needed. My bread is so good and it’s all because of this book.
February 10, 2017
Get baking
A good starter baking book. I like the question and answer aspect of the recipes. The mix of recipes is heavy on the loaves. Many gluten free options
A good starter baking book. I like the question and answer aspect of the recipes. The mix of recipes is heavy on the loaves. Many gluten free options
January 25, 2018
Good resource very very new sourdough / bread bakers, especially if you are interested in making breads on the sweeter side.
December 26, 2018
Original. Trad. Sourdough. Yep. Best damn little ol' bread book.
August 4, 2019
I love so much about this book!
The author's enthusiasm and passion are truly compelling! I'm trying to work my way through all the recipes in order.
The author's enthusiasm and passion are truly compelling! I'm trying to work my way through all the recipes in order.
August 28, 2019
Great, clear cut instructions with a sense of humor!
December 21, 2019
Very helpful for learning how to bake good loaves of bread
June 19, 2020
Really like how he starts with easy and builds up to more difficult. Sure a fun read too.
February 23, 2021
Excellent instructions for the beginner AND the advanced baker. Includes a nice section on sourdough breads.
February 1, 2022
This book said "you can make bread" and I did. Love it.
May 2, 2022
great bread recipes. I love baking and this is one of my go-to books.
September 25, 2019
The following review is solely based on the technical stuff in the book. Bye, the writing and photos are fabulous!
If he could specify the room temperature he bulk ferments or proofs the sourdough, I would give it 5 stars.
In addition, the inoculation from leaven to the final dough is so high, which tricked me in the first place to perform the regular BF, which ended with a over fermented wet and sticky dough. So read the recipes carefully!
If he could specify the room temperature he bulk ferments or proofs the sourdough, I would give it 5 stars.
In addition, the inoculation from leaven to the final dough is so high, which tricked me in the first place to perform the regular BF, which ended with a over fermented wet and sticky dough. So read the recipes carefully!
December 29, 2020
Very doable bakes. Very good bread and sweets. Fantastic pizza crust. BUT a little too hands off in the instructions. Bakers with less of a knowledge base might end up with subpar loaves.
March 1, 2016
I read Josey Baker Bread by Josey Baker (talk about embracing your fate!). The author, who is most well known for being the man behind SF's $4 toast phenomenon, comes from a science education background, not a baking one, and is entirely self taught. I think this is a huge advantage when it comes to writing an introductory cookbook like this, as he can anticipate questions that new bakers will have and address them right there in the recipe, as he's been in the same position himself. There are also a lot of funny anecdotes sprinkled between the recipes - they are part of the reason why I actually read this book from cover to cover, and there was one I read aloud to Karl right after I read it to myself - which adds to the general feel of liveliness and passion in the book.
I haven't tried any of the recipes yet (though SF based people, let me know if you want to volunteer to eat bread wink emoticon ), as all of them take a long rise approach to bread-making. However, I did find a lot of the recipes interesting enough that I do plan on making at several of them before I return this book back to the library (particularly his recipe for pocket breads and sourdough-with-seeds). The majority of his recipes have a sourdough starter base, but he also includes a recipe for how to start your own from scratch.
This book is a little pretentious (I mean, $4 toast? Telling me to get freshly-milled whole wheat flour? K thnx), but there is clearly a lot of love and enthusiasm in these recipes. If you are a new-to-bread baker, this is a good book to start with. If you are a more experienced baker, the recipes are interesting and the anecdotes are amusing enough that it's a good addition to your cookbook repertoire.
I haven't tried any of the recipes yet (though SF based people, let me know if you want to volunteer to eat bread wink emoticon ), as all of them take a long rise approach to bread-making. However, I did find a lot of the recipes interesting enough that I do plan on making at several of them before I return this book back to the library (particularly his recipe for pocket breads and sourdough-with-seeds). The majority of his recipes have a sourdough starter base, but he also includes a recipe for how to start your own from scratch.
This book is a little pretentious (I mean, $4 toast? Telling me to get freshly-milled whole wheat flour? K thnx), but there is clearly a lot of love and enthusiasm in these recipes. If you are a new-to-bread baker, this is a good book to start with. If you are a more experienced baker, the recipes are interesting and the anecdotes are amusing enough that it's a good addition to your cookbook repertoire.
October 16, 2015
I google about bread book and discover a video about Josey Google event, he's tutoring in Google campus how to bake bread, with some of the audience. Later then I find his story of baking is very inspiring so I google him more, then i found another video, also at Google but about this book and his story in a cool awesome way of video introduction, I admit I already in-love into what he's doing about baking so I go ahead and read his book.
His book is excellent for novice Sourdough baker, or anyone who want to get into baking bread. His writing is funny, hilarious and very detailed, oh and yes, very flexible too. You could have 2 chances to retard the dough in the fridge in his book, bulk fermentation & proofing. So your baking is very flexible.
I read his whole book whole night long from page 1 to finish in about 5 hours. Very inspiring, especially love to heard his story about baking bread and how he work as a professional baker from a avid home baker.
If you're new into baking bread, get this book, I highly recommended.
p.s: Google Josey Baker Bread on Google, go watch 2 of his video to know more about this energic San Fran guy, you'll enjoy it!
His book is excellent for novice Sourdough baker, or anyone who want to get into baking bread. His writing is funny, hilarious and very detailed, oh and yes, very flexible too. You could have 2 chances to retard the dough in the fridge in his book, bulk fermentation & proofing. So your baking is very flexible.
I read his whole book whole night long from page 1 to finish in about 5 hours. Very inspiring, especially love to heard his story about baking bread and how he work as a professional baker from a avid home baker.
If you're new into baking bread, get this book, I highly recommended.
p.s: Google Josey Baker Bread on Google, go watch 2 of his video to know more about this energic San Fran guy, you'll enjoy it!
January 16, 2017
For everyone who didn't learn the art from their grandma...
Now trying to learn from books, and finding that books teach great science, but are lacking in the art education.
Bread baking is both art and science. If you learned from your grandma, you probably only learned the "art" side. But, you can turn out great loaves, because you are totally managing the chemistry by touch and sight and smell.
If you're learning from books, you're probably getting well-versed in the "science" side. But, the only way to learn the "art" is by someone saying things like, "Here... like this... it should look just like this at this stage," and "No... you can see that you need to knead for just a few more minutes because it doesn't feel..."
I've been reading books and practicing for the past year. I've learned a lot, but I'm still not turning out the quality I could. I know I'm missing visual and touch cues for timing. Josey gave me some little artistic hints that made me say, "Ohhhh, now I get it." I'm working through his recipes from the beginning, and feeling much more proficient.
Now trying to learn from books, and finding that books teach great science, but are lacking in the art education.
Bread baking is both art and science. If you learned from your grandma, you probably only learned the "art" side. But, you can turn out great loaves, because you are totally managing the chemistry by touch and sight and smell.
If you're learning from books, you're probably getting well-versed in the "science" side. But, the only way to learn the "art" is by someone saying things like, "Here... like this... it should look just like this at this stage," and "No... you can see that you need to knead for just a few more minutes because it doesn't feel..."
I've been reading books and practicing for the past year. I've learned a lot, but I'm still not turning out the quality I could. I know I'm missing visual and touch cues for timing. Josey gave me some little artistic hints that made me say, "Ohhhh, now I get it." I'm working through his recipes from the beginning, and feeling much more proficient.
February 11, 2017
Excellent way to get into baking your own bread. Good humor, and easy to understand.
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