From No-knead to Sourdough: A Simpler Approach to Handmade Bread

by Victoria Redhed Miller

“Cleverly combines science, history, and personal touches to make homemade bread accessible for everyone, no matter his or her level of experience.” ―Meredith Leigh, author of Pure Charcuterie Is there any food that evokes pleasant memories and warm feelings more than bread? It’s the most basic of foods, yet many of us are intimidated by the prospect of making our own. “Artisan” bread, craft bakeries, and wood-fired pizza are gaining popularity―imagine creating these fabulous breads at home. With From No-Knead to Sourdough , author Victoria Redhed Miller blends her own journey toward self-reliance with her fascination for traditional homesteading skills and love of good food. From making simple yeast breads, to learning how to bake a wide variety of sourdough-based breads, the author’s curiosity and fearlessness come together to share with readers a simpler approach to the pleasures of bread-baking. Topics From No-Knead to Sourdough will inspire the beginner and the accomplished baker alike to find their own comfort zone and move on to new skills when they are ready. Pizza and bagels, flatbreads and loaf breads, even gluten-free breads―you become the artisan when you make your own bread. “There are few things more soul-satisfying than the taste of homemade sourdough, and even fewer things as healthful to keep your mind and body tuned and balanced. Victoria’s detailed but uncluttered recipes make that argument, delectably.” ―Stephen Yafa, author of Grain of Truth

Genres: Cookbooks, Nonfiction, Cooking, Food

256 pages, Paperback

Published June 26, 2018

Reviews

[BeckBe · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you are looking for a reliable, comprehensive, authoritative primer on breadmaking, this is not it.
It's not inaccurate per se but the author uses a lot of pseudo-scientific jargon and sadly lacks in-depth knowledge.
Between the black and white photographs, which are nearly indecipherable, and the "Sexy Science Talk" sidebars, I recommend a hard pass on this one.

[Erin L · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic resource for bread baking. I've known how to make bread since I was a kid. Basic, white (or whole wheat) bread and buns baked in loaf pans. So I'm good with yeast, but missing a lot of information about how, why and how to expand on the basics I had.

I found this at the library and borrowed it while waiting for another bread book I requested to arrive. And I haven't been disappointed. I've used this to make a biga and a ciabatta. I learned about various starters and how and when to use them (definitely not an expert, but really excited about the options). And tonight I'm using the naan recipe, because what good is curry without a nice, warm naan? I even hope to have some time to experiment with the various pizza doughs included.

I've learned about gluten and flours and sourdough starters and I'm excited to start playing with all of them. I'm dreading returning this to the library so it may be added permanently to my shelf.

[Heydi Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

The cover and size of this book is pure perfection!

The information...not so much. I appreciate the inclusion of ingredients in metric, US, and Baker’s %. The instructions are very lengthy, which if you have a half hour to read them all then great but otherwise it’s going to be frustrating.

The font is a super bad choice. It is as unappetizing as a font can be.

I think this book could have been greatly improved by having colored photographs (so you can see the color and definitions of the dough), different font type and size, and briefer instructions.

I saw this author at a farm fair and she talked endlessly about her experience with baking bread without actually telling us how to do it. That’s sort of how this book came off.

[Sarah Elizabeth Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever since the discouraging results I observed during the 18 months following the institution of a gluten free diet in my family, I've been a determined bread maker. But as the owner of a grain mill I rarely have white flour around, and it's been a struggle to try and adapt the standard sourdough recipes for use with freshly ground whole wheat flour. I appreciated the efficient exploration of flour qualities, the details about what changes to expect between whole wheat and white flour, and the weighted recipe.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Victoria Redhead Miller is a fermentation nerd. She's already written a book called Craft Distilling, and now she's written this fantastic cookbook, From No-knead to Sourdough: A Simpler Approach to Making Bread, about the way flour, salt, yeast, and water can interplay to create a loaf of bread. And she knows all the ins and outs. 

Miller starts with the basics, talking about exactly what you need to make good bread. She talks about the different kinds of flours, about mixing by hand versus using a machine, about weighing versus measuring, and all the other decisions you make before starting your bread. There are super-simple recipes, of course, to get you started and to help you find your comfort zones. And from there you can go to more complicated recipes, like bagels and English muffins, coffee cake, kneaded breads, seeded breads, pizza, pita, scones, breads from starters, and even gluten-free breads and pizzas. 

From No-knead to Sourdough includes a bunch of what Miller calls "Sexy Science Talk," sidebars filled with the science of fermentation and bread-making. She goes into detail about what exactly happens when you bake bread, what gluten is and why it's important, bread alternatives for those who are gluten-free, and so much more. Reading this book is like getting a degree in advanced bread-making techniques, so you end up with a lot of knowledge that will come in handy for baking anything you choose to. She even talks about how and why she decided to make her own wood-fired oven and the difference that made in her breads. 

After teaching these techniques across the country, Miller knows the questions that come up and has all the answers ready. As a homesteader, she relies on these recipes to help provide homemade breads for her family, so these recipes are tried and tested. From making your first simple sourdough bread to creating a gluten-free sourdough starter that you can bake breads from for years to come, From No-knead to Sourdough will take your bread-baking game as far as you want it to. More than a cookbook, this book can make you a genuine expert in sourdough and make your family very happy. 



Galleys for From No-knead to Sourdough were provided by New Society Publishers through Edelweiss, with many thanks. 

[Joe · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I've been spoiled by Tartine, so it's hard to appreciate a basic book like this.