[.ca] Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book: A Guide to Whole-Grain ... (ISBN 0394724348)

The one true path to whole-grain baking!:
Most baking books treat whole-grain flour "as though it were white flour, only worse," in the words of the authors of this essential book. Their superior nutritional value aside, whole grains aren't "worse," but they do behave differently from white flour when mixing and kneading bread dough. This 100%-whole-grain book offers the kitchen wisdom that I wish I'd had in my earliest years of baking. Long before so-called "artisanal" loaves were offered by supermakets, the authors of this fine book were engrossed in the mission of making fine whole-grain bread an attainable staff of life for just about anyone, even with a jam-packed schedule and no money for fancy kitchen equipment. (Laurel astutely notes that such people "probably need good bread more than anyone.") When I bought the first edition of this book more than twenty years ago, I was just such a person. The authors' sensible guidelines for fitting breadmaking into my overfilled work week came as a real revelation. They also helped solve a number of frustrating problems, such as, "Why is my rye dough so slimy?" Not only can the scheduling fit any situation, the authors argue, but the essential equipment can be minimal. Thankfully I now can rely on a heavy-duty mixer with a dough hook as well as a bread machine. But assuming normal hand and arm strength, you don't absolutely need machines to knead up really good bread: For years my batterie de cuisine comprised only bowls, measuring spoons and cups, a dough cutter, cheap loaf and sheet pans, and my own two hands. Laurel & Co. provide advice for mixing bread by hand, in a food processor, an electric mixer, and--thanks to the new chapter in this updated edition--in an automatic bread machine that kneads, proofs, and bakes. The authors' troubleshooting advice will help anyone, from first-time breadmaker to an expert, figure out what might go wrong. And when something goes blissfully right, you'll learn which factors will help you achieve similar results again and again. I'm sorry to read reviews from Amazon readers who baked duds from this book, and hope that they'll try again, starting with "A Loaf for Learning." This detailed chapter is a blueprint to follow from which anyone can turn out high-rising, marvelously tasty, versatile loaves. Though I have happily divided my loyalties among several books when it comes to baking with white flour, when using strictly whole grains, my loyalty is four-square behind "The Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book."

THE reference for breadmaking with whole grains:
If you are serious about baking purely whole grain bread, this is the best reference there is. Features include chapters devoted to whole wheat and other specialty grains; "captured" sourdough cultures; milling your own whole grain flours; and even rice flour breads for those who are trying to eliminate wheat from their diets. As with the Laurel's Kitchen cookbook, this book goes beyond a mere collection of recipes, with gentle guidance on health, lifestyle, and wellbeing.

My breadmaking bible:
I bought a used copy of the first edition of this book last year and have had nothing but success with it. It is brilliant. My first loaf for learning rose as high as any white bread I've ever baked, and was far more delicious. I refer to the loaf for learning chapter even when I am making wholegrain bread using recipes from other cookbooks. I cannot understand the review by the person who gave it one star. He/she must not have followed the loaf for learning; the instructions are so clear and precise, I cannot imagine how anyone could fail unless their yeast or flour was bad.

Frustrating!:
I've had this book for many years, and generally only have about a 20 to 30% success rate with these recipes. I do appreciate that this is one of the rare bread cookbooks in which the recipes are truly whole-grain, but... unfortunately, the techniques just don't cut it with me. For some recipes they work, and many others they don't. I have been baking bread for 20 years, and this is the least successful book I have found. That said, I keep trying just in case one of these days, the techniques (especially the wet knead) work. Most of what I've made is edible, just only 2 inches tall. So, buy this book if you are serious about wanting to make whole-grain-only bread. The authors are caring, the book is well-written (I have the original edition) and explains much about home-milling as well as the bread-baking process; just be aware that the techniques here are a bit different.

Frustrated...:
I have to bake bread from this book many times over the years, and I am sorry to say that it is always dissapointing. The loaves were edible but always way too dense and uninteresting. At first I didn't know any better, then I thought I was a terrible baker, and almost gave up. Then I tried the recipes in The Tassajara Bread Book by Edward Espe Brown and made many wonderful loaves. They always work. I even went back and tried a recipe from Laurel's book, thinking that maybe I had learned something. But no, it was the same. I have made bread from other books as well, usually with great success. I don't know what the problem is, but the breads never rise in the oven. It is as if they are so tired out and weak that they just sit there. I have seen bread jump in the oven to make a light and wonderful crust, even with 100% whole wheat, but this never happens with Laurel's recipes. In the end I am so frustrated that I have come to hate Laurel's Bread Book. I love her focus on whole grains, but the recipes never work for me. On a technical level, her recipes are simply too vague on key points. Her descriptions of temperature are usually "cool", "warm", "very warm" rather than 60-65 degrees of something more precise. She uses a mixture of weights and volume measurements that can be confusing.