Meyer's Bakery: Bread and Baking in the Nordic Kitchen

by Claus Meyer

Claus Meyer has been taking the world by storm with his fresh, Nordic cooking. Now, he turns his hands to all things baking. His bakeries in Grand Central Station and Brooklyn, Meyers Bageri, have been receiving stellar reviews. In this book, Claus shares the secrets to his success.

The book is structured around the four basic types of dough - wheat, whole-grain, rye and enriched. Photographic step-by-step instructions explain each baking technique, while troubleshooting sections provide advice. Alongside techniques, Claus gives tips and tricks for achieving best results, with explanations of the best flour and equipment to use. Recipes then show you how to put your new-found skills to use, ranging from rye bread to cinnamon loaf, from spelt bread to scones. This is the perfect guide to creating delicious Nordic breads and pastries at home.

Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Cooking, Nonfiction

559 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 2, 2017

Reviews

[Beth Kakuma-Depew · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an experience bread baker, I found his detailed information about alternate types of grains fascinating. He advocates for keeping your own starter and grinding your own grains, which no doubt lead to amazing results. But realistically are outside the scope of most folks. I loved that he talked about Spelt, Emmer Wheat and others. He gave several different variations on rye bread - that I am itching to try! And ends with a chapter on baking with standard white flour - for those times you just want a cozy cinnamon roll.

Recipes I have put on my T0-Bake List
Sliced Rye Bread with Barley Berries
Stuffed Rye Mini Loaves (i will use my muffin tin)
Swedish Syrup loaf with almonds and prunes
100% Spelt Loaf

I can't say how well this would work for a newbie to bread making. Some day when I retire and garden and bake all day, I'll buy this book and keep my own starter.

[Ruth Bogan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know why it took me so long to read this. I've owned it for several years. Perhaps I assumed that baking advice for a U.S. audience from a Scandinavian baker would be slightly misguided. Not at all! In fact, of all the baking books I've read in the past several months, this is my favorite. While some American bread books can be, in my opinion, a bit cultish or personality-heavy, "Meyer's Bakery" is low-key and down to earth, full of practical wisdom and on a scale for the home baker, but also containing some details I have not read elsewhere. In 2023, the extensive list of sources and bakers' blogs is still (I checked last night) up to date, the only ironic exception being the author's own establishment in the Great Northern Food Hall in NYC.
My only complaint about the book is that the designers chose to print a number of pages on dark-colored paper, which made for some challenging reading.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meyer has been baking for 30 years, owns a bakeshop and conducts bread baking classes, and this book shares his baking evolution and wisdom. This is a very structured and systematic approach to bread baking that also honors organic principles.
After a discussion of equipment, and lengthy discussions of grains and starters, chapters are arranged around types of bread-wheat, whole grain, rye and enriched - and then a short section on other baked good and leftovers. Each section includes how and what but also a problem solving section. This is a book for people who really want to learn how to bake good breads. If you are not interested in investing the time and energy required to do the work of these breads, the section on other baking has some good options that are much more approachable including an oat cookie (that Americans would call a cracker), rye crackers and a variety of scones.
Many beautiful pictures of bread are inspirational. The pizzas are amazing looking.
A minor complaint, some of the text is printed on color paper, and it makes it more difficult to read. It’s also a pretty small font, so that adds to the difficulty

[Clwseattle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book with gorgeous photo's and detailed information. I am a home baker and I regularly make bread of different varieties. This book just plain intimidates me. There is never going to be an occasion when I grind my own wheat or make a starter with wild yeast. Another reviewer mentioned the last part of the book with home baker accessible recipes. THOSE are the recipes I will make. While the rest are absolutely mouth watering they are just . . . too much.

[Daisy · Rating 3 out of 5]

New recipes to try. And a different process. That'll be a challenge.

[Doris Barton · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is a wonderful book if you are inclined to grind grain and make authentic Nordic bread

[Erin Stuhlsatz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would like to come back to this book. It is a little finicky, a little bit overly complex, but that's sort of what I'd like to be into these days, if the bundle of joy would let me.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good information!

[Dray · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent book about bread, and yeasted items such as buns. It is well written and knowledgeable. Although it is advertised as Nordic I find it covers many bread endeavors.

[Adam Schweigert · Rating 4 out of 5]

The recipes all look great, but this book has some of the clearest explanations of the science behind bread baking that I've ever read.