MK's Reading Life

While I am learning a tremendous amount from this book, it isn't quite enough if you are just starting out in your bread baking adventures. As I've been working through the recipes, I've often wished for a master baker standing over my shoulder to clarify a technique, or to point out just exactly what the dough should look and feel like *here*. He does a great job of explaining many of the whys but leaves the *exactly what* a bit shaky. While I've yet to have any of the breads from these recipes fail completely, success has been a bit mixed. I've switched to working from The Bread Bible by Beranbaum, and after a half dozen loaves from that I've gained enough confidence to begin to return to this one. I think after a few more months working studiously with both, I'll be able to bake whatever bread I desire, from a work-a-day whole wheat sandwich loaf to sourdough sub rolls to baguettes and ciabattas that could compete with any bakery anywhere. I have one other negative in that the recipes are twice as large as I would like. Once I've nailed the techniques, then the amounts will be fine. But in the learning stage, half as much is better. I probably should say that I am a bread nut and am looking for perfection. I have yet to bake bread from this book that isn't better than grocery store bakery bread.