This is a wonderful book that I recommend for bread bakers of all levels. It is packed with detailed, helpful information on all aspects of creating the perfect loaf. Plus gorgeous photos and dozens of mouthwatering recipes. Every time I flip through the pages I want to dive into the kitchen and bake about 14 different kinds of bread. This book is pricey but worth it. (Susan)

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Product Description

An instructive, yet sophisticated, guide on the process of bread-baking includes step-by-step technique photographs for beginners, as well as intriguing new recipes for professionals of the trade. Tour.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #329114 in Books
• Published on: 1996-05
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 196 pages

From Publishers Weekly
At the New York City bakery after which this book is named, Scherber and Dupree practice artisan bread baking, producing small batches of hand-shaped, hearth-baked loaves that are distinguished by the thick crusts, chewy crumbs and distinctive flavors imparted by long fermentation times. Here they adapt techniques and recipes for producing such breads at home. Photos (by gentl & hyers) and clear instructions mark the introduction to such techniques as smoothly shaping a baguette or distinctively scoring a crust. Detailed recipes for five basic loaves (Golden Whole Wheat Bread; Amy's Crusty Italian Loaf) encourage novices. Subsequent chapters feature more adventurous breads: golden Semolina Beehive with Black Sesame Seeds; Coarse Cracked corn with Four Peppers; Chewy Olive and Thyme Sticks; Autumn Pumpkin Bread with Pecans. There's even a "huggable edible," Toy's Teddy Bread, a sourdough loaf shaped like a Teddy bear. A glossary, troubleshooting guide and mail-order source list wrap up this comprehensive treatment that caters to both neophyte and veteran bread bakers.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Four years ago, Scherber joined forces with Dupree to open Amy's Bread, which almost immediately became one of New York City's most popular bakeries, supplying exceptional artisan breads to many top restaurants as well as to retail customers. Now they present 37 of their favorite recipes, offering something for bakers at all levels. There's a chapter on easy loaves for beginners, followed by a variety of original breads, such as Coarse-Grained Whole Wheat with Toasted Walnuts, and finally a chapter on more advanced techniques. The authors, who are excellent teachers, give clear, concise direction at each stage of bread making, with the help of step-by-step photographs. Although Joe Ortiz's The Village Baker (LJ 12/92) and Daniel Leader's Bread Alone (LJ 10/15/93) are both excellent works by artisan bakers, Amy's Bread is more accessible and approachable than either of those titles. Highly recommended.?Susan Lantzius, formerly Pastry Chef, San Domenico Restaurant, New York
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Though the inspiration for most contemporary food trends can arise on either coast, the yen for bread baking appears to be centered in the Northeast. So it should come as no surprise that a New York City bakery owner who studied "loaf art" in France now debuts in print. Like its culinary cousin, pastrymaking, creating bread is a highly personalized activity, with legions of bakers agreeing to disagree about the use of certain starters, the right amount of kneading, the appropriate temperatures, and so on. One can always temper Scherber and Dupree's idiosyncrasies with advice from others, but the results of their more than 40 recipes are well above average. Barbara Jacobs

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Customer Reviews

Excellant instructions with wonderful receipes.
This book clearly explains how to create great breads without adding alot of yeast. The sponge starters create a "moist, chewy texture with more flavor, a nicer crust, and a longer shelf life than straight yeast breads." Amy is telling the truth. I've baked 2/3's of her breads and am totally happy with the results. I gave this book as a present to a friend who has never been able to achieve a truely Italian loaf of bread. She thought I was a master bread maker. The truth is Amy is a master bread maker and I can read and follow instructions. If you really want to create wonderful breads this is the book for you.

Incredible Recipes; Incredible Bread
I can't say enough good things about this book. I bought the book as a beginning baker, and in the 10 months since diving into "Amy's Bread" I'm baking loaves that rival the local artisan bakery (really!). Looking for the perfect baguette? It's in there. Looking for a great white pan loaf? It's in there. The book has that rare combination of delightful recipes presented clearly and concisely; rock-solid technique and beautiful photography. The section on sourdough is one of the best sources I've found for understanding and making these types of breads. If you're interested in baking really great tasting bread and impressing the hell out of family and friends, this book is a must. A warning, however. Bread making is in inexact activity -- have patience and this book will reward you over and over again. And get yourself a bakestone.....you'll be using it alot from now on.

For Serious Bread Makers
For those people who always wanted to know the ins and outs of bread making from scratch, this is, in my opinion, the definitive bread making book. The step by step instructions are almost fail safe. The beautiful photographs of the finished product are almost edible in themselves. And Ms. Scherber has a five day series of instructional progrmas shown frequently on the TV Food Network, where some of the recipes are available for downloading. I love this book. So much so, that I bought two copies.