The Bread Builders: Hearth Loaves and Masonry Ovens

by Daniel Wing, Alan Scott

Creating the perfect loaf of bread--a challenge that has captivated bakers for centuries--is now the rage in the hippest places, from Waitsfield, Vermont, to Point Reyes Station, California. Like the new generation of beer drinkers who consciously seek out distinctive craft-brewed beers, many people find that their palates have been reawakened and re-educated by the taste of locally baked, whole-grain breads. Today's village bakers are finding an important new role--linking tradition with a sophisticated new understanding of natural levens, baking science and oven construction. Daniel Wing, a lover of all things artisanal, had long enjoyed baking his own sourdough bread. His quest for the perfect loaf began with serious study of the history and chemistry of bread baking, and eventually led to an apprenticeship with Alan Scott, the most influential builder of masonry ovens in America. Alan and Daniel have teamed up to write this thoughtful, entertaining, and authoritative book that shows you how to bake superb healthful bread and build your own masonry oven. The authors profile more than a dozen small-scale bakers around the U.S. whose practices embody the holistic principles of community-oriented baking based on whole grains and natural leavens. The Bread Builders will appeal to a broad range of readers,

Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Cooking, Nonfiction, History, Reference

250 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

Reviews

[thuys]

Half of the book is about masonry ovens, so yea very useful if youre gonna build one. The rest goes on the process and principles of bread making, mostly using naturally leavening agents, which I found informative, also presented in a casual way of talking, science presented in daily language, very easy to understand (plus some short passages about the author's visit to some bakery stores that may interest you who live in US, for me I just skip)

[James Hendricksen]

This is a very good book if you are interested in building a wood fired oven and making artisan breads and pizza. I used the book to make my oven and have used it for more than 10 years. The information contained in the book is invaluable in getting started. It was written by two men who have a passion for good breads and brick oven baking. It is probably most useful for those who have a brick oven or who are considering constructing an oven.

[Carlos Nuño]

Besides all free articles available in internet this book helped me to understand the oven principles and materials so I could design and build my own brick oven. Also, there are some chapters dedicated to bread dough.

[Peter]

The sourdough bacteria is found in nature in peoples teeth.

[Amy]

Alan Scott is responsible for bringing brick ovens back into baking, especially in the United States. This is a how-to guide.

[Jason]

The book's layout was great. The division of how to bake bread and how that influences your oven choice, and vice versa, was very intriguing. A lot of thought and love was put into writing this book. Like most fermented products, it seems to just take time and reps to understand your system. This was not overly technical, but provided enough details for those of us who like to know more. Overall, this was an enjoyable read. 4.3

[Benjamin Gardner]

a lot of great information here. Informative about building bread ovens as well as the philosophy and ideas surrounding bread - enough science to be interesting without overwhelming me with information.

[aiken]

An excellent book about sourdough bread and masonry ovens.

[David]

This book came out about the same time I began using my wonderful fireplace with a masonry oven. I needed some direction on using the oven, especially for baking breads, and this book perfectly answered many questions. Using the fireplace oven isn't as simple as turning on the electric oven. It involves some planning, especially in how long the fire burns and having the loaves ready for baking when the oven is ready to receive them. Getting away from the All Purpose Flour routine and branching out to discover unbleached or minimally processed flours, various leavens other than the carefully selected strains of yeast available to the public--such as developing your own sponge from wild strains of yeast and bacteria, and trying different types of breads. It is all in here. I can hardly wait for the heating season to begin again to have the oven available for baking.

[Jarkko Laine]

I read this book over a long period, first going through the sections about bread making and now finally also digging deeper in the world of masonry ovens. I enjoyed the journey a lot — and I'm sure it's not over just yet. There will be an oven like this in my life, sometimes, somehow.

And this final sentence from the book sums it up for me: "Natural leavens. Masonry ovens. Small-scale bakeries. Right livelihood. Amen."

[Luke]

Surprisingly thorough discussion of naturally leavened (sourdough) bread history, process, chemistry, and the construction of a masonry oven suited to bread baking. And great vignettes of small-scale commercial baking and related businesses spread throughout. The weekly sourdough process is very close to what I use today, the oven is something I hope to have in the near future. Thanks to Bob for the loan and the inspiration.

[Mrs.]

An advanced reference book for experienced artisan/fermented bread bakers, or for the very ambitious. A bread recipe will go on for pages in a free-form, conversational style. So, if you need a lot of guidance, consider getting Jeffrey Hamelman's excellent book, instead. Also contains detailed guidance on building your own masonry oven, but I thought this was rather confusing.

[Pzikmanis]

This is one of the best books I have read. It’s in two parts. First all about baking hearth bread. Scott goes into extreme detail of the technique and science and history of bread. It was just amazing! The second half is a little less detailed, but essential if you want to build a wood fired oven.

[John Parker]

It is enjoyable, easy-to-read, and a seemingly inexhaustible resource for those contemplating building their own bread oven. From A-Z its content is encyclopedic with both depth and clarity. Buy this book first.

[Lynn]

OK, I'm getting serious about learning what is involved in building a bread oven. It could be a long process since I might first have to purchase suitable property and become friends with the fire marshal in the area.

[Kyle]

Ultimately, this book is of limited use to the professional and amateur baker. It is simply too narrow in scope.

[Ian]

Great book if you want to build a bread oven

[Dreinhardt]

This book change my life. Literally. I changed professions and now I own a bakery. I was lucky enough to meet the author at a bakers' gathering and tell him so--what a treat!

[Dave Riley]

A bit pretentious but it does offer a wide range of approaches to bread baking. That mix makes for stimulating reading.

[Duncan Mchale]

Rec. by William Alexander

[Daisy]

This book is mostly about building wood-fired, retained-heat ovens, but it's also my go-to book for baking pain au levain. Excellent work all around.

[Michael]

Seems to be the gold standard of masonry oven books.

[Justin]

bread: old skool!

[Matt Kelland]

Only for the serious baker - but if that's you, then you will LOVE this book.