Sourdough: The Gold Standard of Bread
More and more home bakers are replacing mass-produced breads and
commercial yeasts in favor of artisan breads made with wild cultures and
natural fermentation. Whether you want to capture your own local yeasts,
take advantage of established cultures like San Francisco Sourdough, or
simply bake healthier, more natural loaves, you'll find no better guides
than renowned sourdough authorities Ed and Jean Wood.
In this updated edition of Classic Sourdoughs, the Woods reveal their
newly discovered secret to crafting the perfect loaf: by introducing a
unique culture-proofing step and adjusting the temperature of the
proofs, home bakers can control the sourness and leavening like never
before. The reward? Fresh, hot sourdough emerging from the oven just the
way you like it--every time. Starting with their signature Basic
Sourdough loaf, the Woods present recipes featuring rustic grains and
modern flavors, including Herb Spelt Bread, Prarie Flax Bread, and Malt
Beer Bread, along with new no-knead versions of classics like White
French Bread. They round out the collection with recipes for homemade
baguettes, bagels, English muffins, and cinnamon rolls, plus a chapter
on baking authentic sourdoughs in bread machines.
Steeped in tradition, nuanced in flavor, and wonderfully ritualized in
preparation, sourdough is bread the way it was meant to be. So join the
sourdough renaissance and bring these time-honored traditions into your
own kitchen.
