Customer Reviews

Crust and Crumb: Master Formulas for Serious Bread Bakers

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

After reading Mr. Reinhart's book, it sat on my table for over a week, before I picked it up again. Mr. Reinhart comes across as a school master instead of a nurturing instructor. He almost demands that the reader make his poolish recipe which in my opinion is way too much, without room to store it. He relents and admits one can use half the recommended portion. Another problem, not all recipes use the poolish your forced to make, even half portion, so your stuck with poolish you don't really know what to do with. Bottom line, he insists you follow his recipes or else it won't be world class. Who Cares? All I want to do is make a good loaf of bread. On the other hand, Daniel Leader's book BREAD ALONE, has simple to follow recipes, repeating steps in each one, which some readers find annoying but I find most useful. Mr Leader also expresses the desire for the reader to try on his own and modify the recipes presented to make his/her own special loaf. I am not saying the recipes of Mr. Reinhart aren't good, just that the reader is strapped in doing what the author says must be done.

summary:"Peter Reinhart knows of what he speaks".

The recipies and instructions in this book are not for the easily distracted or those who do not have a serious commitment to "building" world class breads. Those willing to plan 2-3 days ahead, not skimp on time and materials, will be rewarded with the kind of breads that are available in far too few locales in North America. The techniques are not difficult, but they often do involve numerious steps. Ahh, but the rewards...

He relies heavily on pre-ferments for most of his yeasted breads. The flavors imparted, and the textures created will spoil you for anything less (which is to say nearly ANY supermarket, and even some bakery breads). He's also not afraid to turn up the heat, and let the crusts carmelize and achive a great flavor of their own.

I'm still pretty new at this, but I've always enjoyed a good bread with body and flavor. My early attempts to recreate even the most basic of breads yielded what could best be described as poor building materials. I would put my last loaves on par with the best bakery in town (maybe not saying much there). Oddly enough, the bread that keeps best, has the fewest ingredients. Don't worry though, your bread won't be around long enough to go stale, unless you lock it up.

The book also covers flat breads, pizza, and quick breads. The second pizza dough recipe was a major hit. The dough can be left thick for a Chicago style, or stretched paper thin, with the edges puffing up to French bread texture.

I will mention that the bagel dough (which makes excellant bagels) nearly brought my KithenAide Ultra to it's knees, hence the title of my review. I would also suggest getting a digital kitchen scale, since it will make scaling the recipies in the book much easier. Have a high quality hard wheat, high gluten, unbleached bread flour handy too. The crumb will look and taste like you added butter to the mix.

Crust and Crumb, by Peter Reinhart,
I feel convinced anyone who wishes to bake can use this book to great advantage. Whether you used to bake, as I did, or you just need some part of the welcome guidance our teenaged daughter found in the pages; this book will serve you well.

Our daughter found it was easier for her to read Crust and Crumb, than put up with my direct teaching. She received an A+ in home economics, and compliments.

She had never baked before starting her home economics class, and wished to do everything perfectly, but got nervous when I was right there, rather than in another room to answer questions. She found this book a lot like a good friend.

...

Back to the book: aside from the bread, which is well covered, there are lots of wonderful tips and recipies from Chef Peter that can really highlight a meal.
Whether you enjoy sharing your baking with others, or just bake for yourself, the answers are easy to find; the methods reliable to the degree possible in a process with so many variables, such as humidity , yeast, and individual oven performance, to name a few.

If you know you want something unique from your own hands and oven, then you decide to share it with others; if you can stand to have it disappear very fast, and have people ask "who made this?""Is there more of this?"- as they point at YOUR suddenly empty serving plate, then these recipes are for you.

Beyond that, I have three words: Love this book!

Although I have read some negative reviews I still ordered the book considering it a must have for any bread maker lover.
But I ended up finding it too fancy-schmency scientific, with a too strong personal view over the process.
My other problem is that it has no metric measurements, using only the American nonstandard obsolete (sorry,only my point of view!) system and the cups/spoon (easier, but less precise) way to measure ingredients.
It only has a few drawings explaining for ex, the way you should braid the dough. There are completely no pictures of whatever recipes are given.
And last but not least, the focus is definitely on starter (sourdough) made bread.
I am not saying bread made with a sourdough is is not good, but in these days you may not only have the time/mood to take care of that starter in order to keep it in a good condition.
I made excellent bread using different recipes but, frankly I haven't tried anything from this book. So I give it three stars, considering the recipes must still be very good. But, unfortunately, I can't really recommend it.

and now, so does my bread baking technique. although i still have yet to really "get" the baker's math formulas in the book(and for that i blame my fourth-grade math teacher, who made me math-phobic, not the writer... :)). Peter Reinhart's writing style is friendly and entertaining, so it's much more than just a cookbook; it's fun reading. His passion shines through in the clear, detailed and organized instruction. Makes me long to take some classes with him at J and W! Definitely invest in a stand mixer if you are eager to try all the recipes in this book--or just be happy with the biceps and triceps workout you'll get mixing them up. Excellent book for intermediate to advanced bakers, for sure, though some motivated beginners may catch on just fine. Just a great resource book, from his advice on what kitchen gadgets are must-haves or ought-to-haves, the "mise en place" mindset/workspace, to the recipes. there is always some sort of bread in progress in our kitchen all the time now; sort of in defiance to the low-carb craze...
get this book. you will be amazed at how much you can take from it.

While other reviewers have covered the bread aspects of this book quite well, I wanted to mention the little recipe tucked in the back for "Perfect" buttermilk pancakes. I am a pancake addict and these are truly the best pancakes I have EVER had. The sourdough pancakes on the following page are quite good as well, but the buttermilk recipe is perfection. Unlike some artisan bread books (i.e. The Bread Bible), Crust and Crumb is detailed and intricate but entirely clear in its instruction. I highly recommend it for the serious bread baker.

I've always enjoyed really good bread but was reluctant to try baking my own. This book changed that. The book is well written and very readable. The author does a great job of leading you through the steps of making great bread. There are numerous recipes, equipment tips, and sources for various supplies listed. After reading this book and trying a few of the bread formulas my bread machine is collecting dust. You just can't beat a great loaf of hand-made oven baked bread. BUY THIS BOOK!!

I originally found this book in the library and was so impressed with it over all other bread books I've ever read I had to buy a copy. It is more like taking a course in "everything you ever wanted to know about baking bread" than a "recipe book". If you are just wanting simple recipes to follow this is not your book. If you want to learn and know bread then this is definitely the book for you.

As a profesional baker for about 17 years now , was i suprised ( in the nice way ) I find mr. Reinharts book a push in the right direction for the starting baker. As you can read in the book mr Reinhart use only natural products . Something that is verry rare at this time in the world of bakers . As everybody know or not know , bakers of the new generation or grabing to fast in the direction of the breadimprover, whats making more damage to the profession than its doing something good . In the book of mr Reinhart you find all the good recepis that you need to make a good bread in the natural way like i know them and like my father and at the same time my teather knew them . So i say to all the beginning bakers get the book and try a few recepts you will be surprised what you can do without the improver.

I have for my entire adult life had the ambition to bake what Peter Reinhart fittingly calls "world-class" bread, but in spite of buying and reading several books dedicated to bread and much work and experimentation, the good bread eluded me. When I saw Peter Reinhart's "Crust and Crumb" advertised, I was reluctant to buy another baking book, having resigned myself to the fact that good bread cannot be baked at home. "Crust and Crumb" got me over the hump. It made me understand the chemistry and process of bread baking, and the result is that I now bake bread which is as good as any that I have had anywhere - and I have eaten a lot of good bread, including in Italy and France. And it made me understand that in order to bake good bread, you have to take it seriously, be dedicated and take the time it takes - there are few shortcuts ("poolish" starter being one of those few) and really no compromises. "Crust and Crumb" is really the only bread baking cookbook you need. Well, maybe Joe Ortiz' "Village Baker" too.