|
 MY BREAD
The Revolutionary No-Work, No-Knead Method
By Jim Lahey with Rick Flaste
(W.W. Norton, $29.95)
Jim Lahey revolutionized leavened bread baking -- no small feat for a craft that's existed for 6,000 years or more. All of Lahey's breads are made without the benefit of kneading the dough. The dough is quickly mixed together and left to rise for a long, long time -- 18 hours to be exact. The slow fermentation allows the dough to develop structure and flavor -- and a crisp crust that can be so difficult to replicate in a home oven.
Lahey founded the Sullivan Street Bakery in 1994 and opened a second bakery in 2000. A mention in Ed Levine's book, "New York Eats," accolades from Gourmet editor Ruth Reichl and a 2006 New York Times article that told of Lahey's techniques no doubt helped launch him into the public eye. He is also a partner and chef of the very popular restaurant, CO, which opened in Manhattan in 2009. It is no surprise that a cookbook would soon follow.
The first chapter of "My Bread" chronicles the development of Lahey's extreme passion for bread making. On his first trip to Rome while an art student he haunted bakeries alongside other tourists and locals looking for flour-dusted rolls and freshly made pizza. He knew he was hooked. On many subsequent trips he learned everything he could about bread-making and its ancient traditions. The Romans, he discovered, considered bread a "treasured thing, an object of honor." Working alongside bakers he found they were not only happy in their work but took great pride in what they were making.
I have always had a love-hate relationship with bread-making. It seems like such a romantic process. The kneading of the dough, the smell of bread baking in the oven and that feeling of accomplishment as I look at a beautiful loaf made with my own two hands. I always envision a wonderful adventure, and then I get started. Flour is everywhere, the wet and sticky dough clings to everything.
In short, I was both anxious and excited to try out Lahey's recipes.
You need to plan ahead before you start making the basic no-knead bread recipe. The whole process takes close to 24 hours, but it's not as daunting as that suggests. I mixed my dough together late on a Friday afternoon and left it to rise until late Saturday morning. Then I formed the loaf and left it for two more hours for the final rise. Next, I coaxed my dough into a preheated covered stew pot, which captures the steam that helps create that wonderful crisp crust. Then, after a short one hour in the oven, there it was -- a true thing of beauty.
From there, I moved on to one of his specialty breads, Stecca. These are beautiful small baguettes that can be studded with ripe cherry tomatoes or green olives or even garlic gloves -- great for a party.
If 18 hours is too much of a commitment, check out the pizza dough recipes. Needing only a two-hour rise, these pizzas are thin and crisp. His ideas for toppings such as zucchini or celery root are unusual and interesting, even in this age of gourmet pizzas. In the chapter on sandwiches, he offers delicious savory recipes including citrus roast pork, rosemary roast beef, spicy eggplant spread and even a recipe for homemade pickles. All of these recipes are packaged in a beautiful, extremely well-photographed hardback volume. First-time bread-makers will appreciate the step-by-step photographs. There is even a Stale Bread chapter with suggestions and recipes for what to do with leftovers.
There are dozens upon dozens of bread books available, including some that use this no-knead approach. Lahey's deep knowledge and passion for making authentic breads make his volume a fascinating history lesson as well. But what truly set "My Bread" apart are Lahey's clear and concise instructions and the sense that he is by your side from beginning to end. For all 18 hours.
 |
Traditional methods make high-end Chinese soy sauce brands perfect for Chinese New Year.
Radical naturalist chefs from Sweden's Fäviken and Belgium's In De Wulf collaborate on an iconic meal.
Brace yourself. If a friend drops by with a fox she has shot, here's how to turn it into dinner.
One forager’s commitment not to waste any food means turning roadkill into bounty.
Part 2: Don't let the name tempt you to dismiss these treats -- luobogao are scrumptious!
Chef Pierre Thiam talks about bringing Senegalese cooking and the concept of taranga to the U.S.
Christmas in the Sicilian province of Catania means one thing: tummàla, a rice dish with Arab roots. 
A 19th-century recipe for this traditional English dessert yields a fantastic result.
The best of all good wishes, Jim - and thank you for your gift.