Nancy Silverton's Breads from the La Brea Bakery: Recipes for the Connoisseur

by Nancy Silverton

The owner and chef of L.A.'s famous and successful La Brea Bakery reveals her magical recipes, adapted for home bakers. Before the baking even begins, Silverton takes the reader through the wonder of bread alchemy, then introduces readers to a wide range of recipes which range from the whimsical to the sublime. 25 photos.

Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Cooking, Nonfiction, Food and Drink, How To, Reference

288 pages, Hardcover

First published March 5, 1996

Reviews

[Elizabeth]

Nancy Silverton is absolutely passionate about making good bread. And she is generous with her guide for as many people as possible to do the same.

[I]f sourdough is so wonderful, why can't more people use it to make bread? For one thing, I think people have been scared off. Few things are as intimidating as bread making. [...] What I hope to do with this book is make the process less mysterious. (-p. xxv "the baking life")

But as I read through this mostly excellent book, I couldn't help shouting out "what?! that's so complicated!" every so often.

For instance, Silverton calls for adding organic grapes on Day 1 of creating a natural starter. She also calls for a little more than a pound (!!) of flour on day one. Wow. It's as if she forgot that she was writing for the home cook instead of someone starting a bakery. She also suggests that while it's "technically possible to make bread" after day 4, that "the bread you'd get wouldn't taste or look as good as it could." At day 10, she advocates regular feeding of the starter. And by regular, she means regular. She suggests feeding the starter 3 times a day, saying,

Don't miss a feeding! Other recipes may require starters to be fed only once a day, but think how you feel at the end of the day if you don't eat until dinner. (p. 35 "a lesson in bread making")

Feed the starter 3 times a day?! Is she crazy? That's so much flour!!

I had to keep reminding myself that this book was published in 1996. I wonder if Silverton is still following this regimen...

Still, the book is full of good ideas and is definitely one that can be added to the standard breadmaking cookbook shelf. For anyone who already has a starter going, her recipes look to be very good.

[I]f you're not careful, the bread can take over your life. [...] If I were only slightly more tolerant, more observant—more flexible—the bread would work with me, no matter what the conditions or the climate. (- p. xxiii-xxiv "the baking life")
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Whole-wheat flour does contain more nutrients than white flour, but our bodies can't absorb most of them becasue whole-wheat flour works its way through our systems too fast. Most of the vitamins in white flour, on the other hand, do get absorbed, so the battle between white and whole wheat turns out ot be a draw. (-p.7 "elements of bread")
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Technically, you can let dough rise—or "proof"—free from, with no basket, bowl or special equipment. But to hep the loaf keep its shape, it's best to put your dough in a cloth-lined banneton or unlined willow proofing basket. [...] You can order these by mail (see Appendix, "Sources"), but it's siple to improvise. [...] The basket should be high enough to allow the dough to double in volume (when properly proofed, some doughs will rise just above the lip of the basket); its width should be just slightly greater than that of the shaped bread. (p20 "tools for getting started")
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The most important tools of all are your hands. Don't hesitate to do as much as possible with them instead of a mixer, a spoon, or any otehr tool that distances you from the dough. The more you are in direct contact with your dough, the better you will get to know its idiosyncrasies and the better baker you will become. (-p28 "tools for getting started")
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[T]he more you bake bread, the more desirable wild yeasts you let loose in your kitchen, and the better your bread will be. It's almost like seasoning a cast-iron pan, only your'e seasoning the whole room. [...] [F]ollow your own instincts, not my instructions. And don't despair if your first few loaves don't look the same as the examples pictured in this book. [...] [I]n bread making, mistakes are edible. (-p 30 "a lesson in bread making")
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
If you want to become a great bread maker, think of every loaf you bake as a cooking lesson. You ccan teach yourself a lot just bey taking a good look at what you've baked and noting how the process went. Any time you encounter changes in weather or the temperament of your dough or starter, jot them down. Eventually, you'll find yourself changing my recipes slightly to fit your environment and your lifestyle. Ultimately, you should rely more on your own notes than on this book. (p56 "a lesson in bread making")
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
After you've baked with this book awhile, you may feel confident enough to bake without a recipe. You may want to create your own breads in a totally different style than mine or anyone else's [...] There are millions of possibilities. Trust your instincts. (p.109 "breads made with white starter")

To make:

• Walnut bread p 75 ("make sure you put in the oven when it's ready. If you wait too long, you'll end up with an extremely sour flavor that camouflages the taste of the walnuts, and a chemical reaction from the walnuts that gives the crumb an unattractive purplish color.")
• Potato dill bread p86 (but without the dill, please...)
• raisin brioche p 120
• fig anise bread p148
• Whole-wheat sandwich bread (with wheat berries and toasted sunflower seeds) p. 175
• Izzy's New York Rye p194 ("dissolve cornstarch in 1 teaspoon tap water. As soon as the water in the saucepan comes to a boil, add the dissolved cornstarch. Stir continuously with a whisk or wooden spoon until the mixture comes to a boil again and is slightly thickened" Set aside. When the loaves are done, remove them to a cooling rack and "Immediately brush the entire surface of each loaf with a thin layer of the cornstarch mixture. (If the bread is not coated quickly enough, the mixture will soften the crust.) The crust should be a deep mahogany brown and when it cools may lok crackled like an old piece of porcelain.")
• Normandy Rye (with hard apple cider) p190
• pretzels p 215
• Rye Currant p 206
• bagels p220
• English muffins p 229 (Silverton claims that "it's fairly easy to buy good English muffins at the grocery store"!! Ha. I'd like to live where she does.... So her English muffins have added rye chops, sunflower seeds, wheat germ and bran to "add texture and flavor"
• croissants p 232 (commercial yeast and wild yeast)

[Amy Elizabeth]

Masterfully written-an ode to sourdough starter.

[Stephanie H]

This is the book that taught me sourdough baking. I like Nancy's book because I felt that if I followed her direction to a tee that I was going to get good results. Yes, her directions are often very wordy but they were thorough and necessary to me. There were clear explanations for why you needed to do one particular thing or another and good recommendations for trouble shooting, while other long paragraphs performed the difficult task of describing what you wanted in your dough at each stage....something difficult to convey in words, much easier to do in person. I do wish that in addition to wordy descriptions, there were condensed versions of her directions. Once I've done a recipe, I don't want to have to plow through all of the text each time. I just need a quick reference to trigger what I have already read and done previously.

I found myself highlighting the book like I was in college and scribbling quick step numbered directions in the margins. But I guess, in many ways, this is like a textbook. It is thorough and must be read several times over to digest. It is worth it though, and I have made great bread because of it. I did not use Nancy's instructions for creating my own starter, which seemed unecessarily complicated. I got a start from a friend, who started hers from one of the many sourdough starters at Cultures for Health. It's a wonderfully strong starter with excellent flavor. The two recipes I use the most from this book are the country loaf and the bagel recipe.

[Amanda]

I think I might read this more for pleasure than I do to cook with it. This is my favorite book about sourdough -- the science, the method, and the art. Silverton's writing is both accessible and interesting. She takes you through how to make your own starter from flour, water, and grapes; how to maintain it; and how to use it in exciting and unexpected ways. Having a starter is like having a pet, though, so I've only done it once, but it was really fun!

[Andy]

I live a few blocks away from the La Brea Bakery and love most of the bread produced from them. However, Ms. Silverton abides by the sourdough starter system for most of the breads in this book, which is extremely labor and time intensive. If you don't mind spending hours upon days upon weeks in feeding a starter then this book is for you. If you like to produce a loaf in a day (like I do), then you might want to look elsewhere.

[Mark]

I read in this book years ago, and put it aside discouraged by all the fuss required for proper bread baking. I've come back after the no-knead bread revolution ensuing from Jim Lahey's recipe in the Times and in his book that I did read and use often in my own baking now. It's still hard to imagine going through some of her regime to get to the end product but I have more patience with the idea of using and maintaining a starter. She writes very clearly and personably.

[Teri]

Some good recipes. Not a fan of the starter recipe recommended so I liked some of the recipes.

[Afrin Zaman]

★★★★★

A Remarkable Book for Serious Bread Lovers

Nancy Silverton's Breads from the La Brea Bakery is an inspiring cookbook for anyone who appreciates the craft, patience, and artistry behind exceptional bread. It celebrates traditional baking while encouraging readers to look more closely at the techniques and details that contribute to a loaf's flavor, texture, and character.

What makes this book especially appealing is its focus on the art of bread-making. Rather than treating bread as an ordinary kitchen staple, it presents baking as a skill worth exploring and refining. For readers who enjoy learning about dough, fermentation, and the techniques behind bakery-quality results, this collection offers an engaging subject to explore.

I also appreciate the connection to La Brea Bakery, which gives the book a strong sense of baking heritage and professional craftsmanship. It feels particularly suited to home bakers who want to expand their knowledge, challenge themselves with more involved projects, and develop a deeper appreciation for artisan bread.

Beyond the recipes themselves, the book celebrates the satisfaction of making something by hand and understanding the process behind it. That makes it an appealing addition to a serious baker's collection.

Overall, this is a thoughtful and inspiring cookbook for anyone passionate about artisan bread and traditional baking.

[Yodamom]

2.5 I've had this book for years. I bake bread daily and was looking forward to trying her process, I tried making the starter twice with organic grapes with poor results results. I fed it 3 x's a day, let it develop with time, it still failed .I've gone to the time of hunting down the different flours. I've fed the starter on the schedule she recommended (phew!). I've made two loaves so far, three different times. The simplest loaves in this book and everybody in my family was disappointed. I followed every step, geesh the steps are seriously wordy, get ready to take notes. Each recipe direction is like reading a novel in itself. I just didn't enjoy working with this book and the results were really poor for me. I've decided just to put it out in the garage sale and let it go. Good bread making isn't this complicated.

[Bob]

Too complicated

[Mary Joy]

I miss my daily baguette/fougasse/fisselle that we used to get from the boulangerie in the village. The rosemary and garlic loaf from La Brea Bakery had a decent crust and flavor, for a mass-market bread, so I decided to see what their technique was like. Their starter takes 2 weeks to make, but this shows a dedication to the craft. I can't hope to make bread as good as our friend Benoit's, but I can try to make the best American bread. The owner of a French bistro down the street, who trained in France, said that the flour used there is different from the flour used in the US. And that the US prevents other countries from importing their grain, presumably to protect US interests. I can understand that.

So I guess I should get to work on my starter.

[Catherine Woodman]

This book's starter recipe will get you a sourdough starter that really works. She has you feeding it three times a day and gives you no slack for things like work or family--she tells you what it will look like everyday along the way, what it should smell like, and what the consistency will be whenyou are done. She has a braiding set of diagrams for a 6 braid loaf which works and I use it everytime I make a double recipe of challah (or one with 6 c. of flour)

[Lori]

Nancy Silverton is an excellent writer and teacher. She taught me to make bread through this book. Her passion for bread baking is contagious. Even though it was my first bread book and I've read many since... I still return to this one for the recipes and information time and time again... fantastic!

[Melissa]

Such an inspiring book. I love how Nancy sees this table staple as art and the creation of bread as almost reverent. If you are looking for a bread book that creates a loaf in an hour or less, this is not the book for you. True earthy, artisan baking. Beautiful.

[Flea]

good if you are big on using starters for EVERYTHING

[Luz-Maria]

great info on method and technique..but sometimes i'm not that patient...fyi

[Christopher Prosser]

cookbooks

[Helen]

If you want to make breads and have the time to nurture a starter, you should own this book.

[Sheila]

This book gave me my start into the world of Sourdough. Great book!

[Sandy]

So excited about the process of making sourdough starter from this book!

[Mia]

Process is long and dough needs lots of attention, but end result is worth it, if you can spare the time. Silverton's explanations can be wordy, but she knows what she's talking about!

[Melissa Cole]

This book is for more advanced bakers! Absolutely fantastic and Nancy is the real deal when it comes to Bread Making!

[Mary Beth]

Great insight, helpful tips. Very readable, at least for an avid at-home break baker.

[Maggie]

Daunting. But seemingly doable. These breads require a serious commitment.