Dear Cindy,
Carol Field's book is wonderful! I've made probably 15 different recipes
for bread from it, most several times (at least), plus a few of the
other non-breads, and I've always had very good results. You might also
enjoy her _Celebrating Italy_, which has lots of non-baking recipes, fun
and interesting narrative about local Italian festivals, and
instructions for a natural starter using organic raisins. I haven't
cooked as much out of it as out of TIB, but what I've made I've liked.
Her _Foccacia_ is very good, too, although obviously limited in scope;
I've only made 5 or 6 of those recipes.
I cycle through bread books frequently. I use Carol Field's books a lot.
Bernard Clayton's _New Complete Book of Breads_ is compendious and
includes many fine recipes I've liked. Right now I'm making Challah from
George Greenstein's _Secrets of a Jewish Baker_, which has good recipes
and unusually good directions and tips. Alford and Duguid's _Flatbreads
and Flavors_ has some very interesting and unusual recipes for
flatbreads from around the world, along with good travel writing. I
recently bought Miller and Maclauchlan's _Flavored Breads_, and the
couple of recipes I've tried I've liked. Another book I'd recommend,
especially for the introductory part, is Elizabeth David's _English
Bread and Yeast Cookery_. It's extremely well-written, includes a lot of
history, and devotes a chapter to each principal ingredient of standard
bread. It has many recipes in the second part, which I must honestly say
I don't think I've ever made any of. If you're able to get hold of the
original American edition published by Viking (our local public library
has it), I suggest you read Karen Hess's wonderfully bilious
introduction. Brinna Sands (of King Arthur Flour) wrote the intro to the
current US edition, and it's probably more helpful although less
entertaining. Some others I enjoy are _The Secrets of Jesuit
Breadmaking_ by Br. Rick Curry, S.J.; _Brother Juniper's Bread Book_ by
Peter Reinhart; _Great Breads_ by Martha Rose Shulman; and _Breads from
the La Brea Bakery_ by Nancy Silverton. This last one is almost
exclusively sourdough, most recipes take a minimum of two days (not
including starter preparation) and I would recommend purchase only if
you're quite serious about your baking. A review appears at Darrell
Greenwood's sourdough Q and A site:
http://mindlink.net/darrell_greenwood/whataboutnancysilvertonsla.html
You'll also find a review essay on some other bread books (also from a
sourdough perspective) at:
http://mindlink.net/darrell_greenwood/whataresomebooksonbread.html
A very good source for baking and other cookbooks is:
Jessica's Biscuit Cookbook Catalog
Box 301
Newtonville, MA 02160
(800) 878-4264
Most of their stock is discounted, and they have frequent terrific
sales. (They're the reprinters of Elizabeth David's book, too, and for
that alone deserve our business).
My daughter is clamoring for french toast, so I must stop. If you have
any questions about any of the books, or if you want other suggestions,
or if there are other specific titles you're wondering about, let me
know and I'll try to answer them.
Good baking!
John