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mitchk's review
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
4.75
This will be a classic, well thumbed and floured book. It give you just what you need to get started with a regular sourdough habit and nothing more. Which is refreshing as it’s uncomplicated, encouraging and will allow for personalisation once the basic loaf is mastered! A fab book.
winelovingbooknerd's review
5.0
If a cookbook can be timely - this one is! Perfect for pandemic comfort baking. Step by step instructions with gorgeous photography for how to make your starter, knead, form and bake the perfect loaf. Loaded with recipes for a huge variety of sourdoughs with lots of suggestions on how to get creative with it. Immensely readable in plain English but also packed with science and baking facts.
lisayoud's review
4.0
I've been baking sourdough bread for almost ten years, off and on, so when this book popped up on netgalley for an advanced reader review, I knew it was for me. Going through the entire process, this book shows you everything you need to do to be a successful sourdough baker. The variety of recipes was very nice. Nice and clear directions and the timing for publication couldn't be more perfect. Sourdough is the best pastime while staying home during the pandemic because it's so easy to work it into your day. A lovely baking book to add to your shelf.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the complimentary eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the complimentary eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
annieb123's review
5.0
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
How to Raise a Loaf: and fall in love with sourdough is a tutorial guide and recipe collection by Roly Allen. Due out 26th May 2020 from Laurence King publishing, it's 112 pages and will be available in flexibound format.
Although not isolating at home (I'm a healthcare worker for my day job), I've certainly traveled and eaten out much *much* less (as in not at all) since the lockdowns. This means that I've had a lot more time to devote to reading, writing, knitting, sewing, gardening, and other crafty pursuits. I was happy to receive this eARC because making a concerted effort to learn to make sourdough had been on my to-do list for years.
A very general introduction in plain language includes the basic who, what, why, when, and how to's. The author has a very down to earth and engaging manner of writing that is fun and encouraging. He does emphasize the potential physical and mental benefits of doing something thoroughly and well. Sourdough takes time. The continuity and rhythm of doing something which requires action (even simple action) over time can be a significant source of routine in world where everything feels very unsettled, upside down and backwards. His basic starter was unusual in my experience (comparing his method to the tutorials on youtube) in that it starts by stacking the deck in favour of the microorganisms by introducing both natural yogurt and a source of fructose. The introduction includes a couple of short easy-to-follow technique tutorials as well as a solid subchapter on necessary equipment.
Extras, fancier presentations, alternate starter routines, and other artistic enhancements are covered in the following chapter. The author also includes a good troubleshooting section and commentary on different types of containers for baking as well as tips and tricks for getting the best results.
The recipes are varied and well presented. Ingredients are listed in a bullet style list. Measurements are standard (metric) with American units in parentheses. Step by step cooking instructions are well formatted and easy to follow. The loaves are beautifully photographed (including a number of photo-series tutorials to help with clarity in some steps). There are numerous wildly different loaves here (14 by my rough count). The Provencale fougasse with olives was the first we tried after a couple of successes with the starter loaves. It was chewy and "toothsome" and disappeared whilst it was still warm.
The author has also included a short glossary and resource list for further reading.
All in all a very accessible guide, clearly and well written with good clear photos. I'm impressed and pleased at my success with the techniques presented by the author here.
Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
How to Raise a Loaf: and fall in love with sourdough is a tutorial guide and recipe collection by Roly Allen. Due out 26th May 2020 from Laurence King publishing, it's 112 pages and will be available in flexibound format.
Although not isolating at home (I'm a healthcare worker for my day job), I've certainly traveled and eaten out much *much* less (as in not at all) since the lockdowns. This means that I've had a lot more time to devote to reading, writing, knitting, sewing, gardening, and other crafty pursuits. I was happy to receive this eARC because making a concerted effort to learn to make sourdough had been on my to-do list for years.
A very general introduction in plain language includes the basic who, what, why, when, and how to's. The author has a very down to earth and engaging manner of writing that is fun and encouraging. He does emphasize the potential physical and mental benefits of doing something thoroughly and well. Sourdough takes time. The continuity and rhythm of doing something which requires action (even simple action) over time can be a significant source of routine in world where everything feels very unsettled, upside down and backwards. His basic starter was unusual in my experience (comparing his method to the tutorials on youtube) in that it starts by stacking the deck in favour of the microorganisms by introducing both natural yogurt and a source of fructose. The introduction includes a couple of short easy-to-follow technique tutorials as well as a solid subchapter on necessary equipment.
Extras, fancier presentations, alternate starter routines, and other artistic enhancements are covered in the following chapter. The author also includes a good troubleshooting section and commentary on different types of containers for baking as well as tips and tricks for getting the best results.
The recipes are varied and well presented. Ingredients are listed in a bullet style list. Measurements are standard (metric) with American units in parentheses. Step by step cooking instructions are well formatted and easy to follow. The loaves are beautifully photographed (including a number of photo-series tutorials to help with clarity in some steps). There are numerous wildly different loaves here (14 by my rough count). The Provencale fougasse with olives was the first we tried after a couple of successes with the starter loaves. It was chewy and "toothsome" and disappeared whilst it was still warm.
The author has also included a short glossary and resource list for further reading.
All in all a very accessible guide, clearly and well written with good clear photos. I'm impressed and pleased at my success with the techniques presented by the author here.
Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
hannas_heas47's review
5.0
Fantastic bread baking book.... thanks to the publisher for an ARC to read and give an honest opinion. Anyone who says bread making is not an art has never tried to make bread. Honestly it’s as hard as it looks. Sourdough bread though is a more daunting making bread than I’ve ever seen. You really have to know your grains and how to formulate a starter to see some gorgeous results.
What did I like? I was over the moon because for every recipe there is a picture. Maybe because the author is a guy? Guys are much more visual but every recipe gets its own picture which absolutely floored me. Always my biggest peeve when ordering a book with recipes is that it hardly has any pictures. The actually starter bread that has to ferment for a few days to start a colony of bacteria for the loaf is a bit daunting but the author gives clear pictures of what your colony should look like day to day. Plus clear instructions on how to knead and bake.
Would I recommend or buy? I’ve always said that in times of crisis, and the stores empty of bread that this would be the one thing that would be a good thing to know how to bake so your family doesn’t go with out bread. This is a beautiful book and it displays easier than a video. I totally recommend this for anyone looking to learn to make sourdough and other variations of bread.
Thoughts for the author? Beautiful book. Congratulations on your new release! I am definitely pleased with how detailed this book is. Kudos for a great addition.
What did I like? I was over the moon because for every recipe there is a picture. Maybe because the author is a guy? Guys are much more visual but every recipe gets its own picture which absolutely floored me. Always my biggest peeve when ordering a book with recipes is that it hardly has any pictures. The actually starter bread that has to ferment for a few days to start a colony of bacteria for the loaf is a bit daunting but the author gives clear pictures of what your colony should look like day to day. Plus clear instructions on how to knead and bake.
Would I recommend or buy? I’ve always said that in times of crisis, and the stores empty of bread that this would be the one thing that would be a good thing to know how to bake so your family doesn’t go with out bread. This is a beautiful book and it displays easier than a video. I totally recommend this for anyone looking to learn to make sourdough and other variations of bread.
Thoughts for the author? Beautiful book. Congratulations on your new release! I am definitely pleased with how detailed this book is. Kudos for a great addition.
dorayang's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. Like many others, I have started to make sourdough bread during the pandemic lockdowns. I liked all the recipes in the book and can't wait to try all of them! The ingredients listed in the book are easy to find, staple ingredients, which is definitely a plus for me. The pictures in the book are also very amazing (and looks mouth-watering). The only thing I found that bothered me a little was the use of Celsius instead of Fahrenheit for the oven temperature as this book is for the UK audience.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC for an honest review!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC for an honest review!
thewoollygeek's review
5.0
A brilliant guide for the beginner and more experienced Baker. This covers everything you could possibly need to know. It is well presented, well written and great pictures. Step by step instructions, written in plain English and no jargon. Wonderful for everyone to try there hand at, which I encourage as there is nothing like the smell or taste of home baked bread.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
zaineylaney's review
4.0
I have already been a focused bread maker for a year. It soothes me and makes me feel so much better. This book is a perfect companion to the one I already own. There is a wide variety of recipes for loaves, sandwich bread, sticks, and even chocolate bread. The steps are simple, even for someone who is just learning to bake. I am so excited to add these to my baking list. If you are wanting to get your feet wet with bread, this is the way to go!
m_fhowe's review
4.0
This was the perfect cookbook to enjoy during quarantine! I have had my starter going for about a year but have struggled to really get into baking with it. This book was a perfect jump start to reengaging with my starter and trying to improve my loaves.
I liked that this book is clearly geared towards a beginner baker but without being overly simplified or too complex for you to follow along. I found some really helpful tips that helped me pinpoint where I may have gone wrong in my previous sourdough experiments, I loved the photos and they are super helpful if you are visual learner. The recipes are well written, easy to follow and got me excited to try more of them!
I would definitely recommend this book for anyone looking for a straightforward guide to starting their sourdough journey. It would also be a good read for a more seasoned baker who is interested in improving their sourdough techniques and looking for fun recipes.
I liked that this book is clearly geared towards a beginner baker but without being overly simplified or too complex for you to follow along. I found some really helpful tips that helped me pinpoint where I may have gone wrong in my previous sourdough experiments, I loved the photos and they are super helpful if you are visual learner. The recipes are well written, easy to follow and got me excited to try more of them!
I would definitely recommend this book for anyone looking for a straightforward guide to starting their sourdough journey. It would also be a good read for a more seasoned baker who is interested in improving their sourdough techniques and looking for fun recipes.