There’s something meditative about breadmaking that I absolutely love; the slow process of yeast developing, the rhythmic kneading, the suspense of waiting to take it out of the oven, perfectly browned. Up until recently, however, eating my whole wheat bread was less a zen experience, and more an exercise in patience as one chewed their way through a doorstop disguised as bread.
All that changed when I met Peter Reinhart. Okay, so we haven’t actually met, but I feel a certain kinship as I’ve read his book cover to cover and it’s now stained and marked as any well-loved cookbook should be.
All his recipes are 100% whole grain. He works with the properties of the grain with amazing results. Don’t be intimidated by the two day process; it’s really just as easy, if not easier that the regular method; much less kneading involved. And he’s got everything from a simple sandwich bread to whole wheat bagels and cinnamon rolls.
Also, it may just be a rumor, but I’ve heard that Artisan Breads in Five Minutes a Day is coming out with a whole grains version… I’ve got my fingers crossed!
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Mmmm…can’t wait to try this cookbook! Is this Ms. Thompson of SLC? I’m assuming so. So fun to see you on here!
I’ve got this on my list of books to buy.
My mom always made homemade bread growing up, it was always fun for my sisters and I to help make different kinds of bread in the kitchen. Glad to hear other families still keep up this tradition.
I have this book and it really is true: great fresh bread in no time. My only complaint is that it’s hard to find enough room in my fridge for the ginormous bowl to hold the dough. Still, it’s totally worth it just for the smell!
Oooh I love baking my own bread…and Peter Reinhart books and Artisan Bread in 5 minutes a Day are some of my favorites. My library has like 50+ books about breadbaking, so it’s easy to learn new tips and tricks and science to help make it better. One thing I’ve found re: whole grains is that it generally works best for me to combine types of flour, which makes sense after reading Reinhart’s section on gluten development etc. Anyway, now I make most things about 1/2 whole wheat so I don’t have to sacrifice texture for health like when I was making 100% whole wheat bread. I’ll have to keep looking for good recipes that I can make yummy breads with mostly whole wheat flour though :)
PS We must have read different Reinhart books-the one I recently read definitely used a variety of flours, and most recipes used about half and half whole wheat flour/unbleached all-purpose flour. I’ll have to look at some of his other books too!
Baking bread has been a routine in our home for some years now. Many think it is a hard work, a time-consuming one too…yes, there are bread varieties, that require a lot of time, but there are plenty, that are quite quick to accomplish. Most often we bake foccaccia, oatmeal bread, and pita bread, but I have also made rye-bread, and baguettes….Kids love fresh bread, and they love to participate in making it too:)
Oh, I love him – Peter R. completely changed the way I do and think about bread too! I thought I was really good at baking bread until I read his books, and now I know I’ve improved a ton and have a ton further to go in bread baking.