Modernist Bread by Nathan Myhrvold

Modernist Bread Reviews

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  987643467881

  Is this a life-changing book set to replace all other bread books? No. Is it a set that you definitely need in order to make great bread? No. Is it a fun indulgence? It definitely is. Had it not been marketed as a set offering “a revolutionary new understanding of one of the most important staples of the human diet”, I might have even given it 5 stars. Apart from the “stunning photography” (which actually really is stunning, by the way) and the convenience of having all the various methods and techniques used and developed by different professionals all in one place, I'm not so sure that I personally found anything particularly unique, let alone revolutionary, in any of the books. (For example, one of the many things that's presented as radically new is the fact that glutathione (found in certain fruit juices) relaxes gluten and can improve challah results (by making the dough easier to work with/shape and by producing a softer crumb) – which is something already known, not just to most professionals, but many home bakers too.)
  That being said, as someone who has gone through dozens of bread books in varying styles (some more focused on science, others more on intuitive baking, etc.), I was definitely impressed with the thoroughness of the documentation of various bread experiments and Myhrvold's systematic analysis and methodology (which are perhaps a result of his background in mathematics and physics). Rather than intimidating the reader, the experiments are presented in a way that actually encourages creativity. So I would say that rather than presenting some “revolutionary” or “groundbreaking” new information, the set's strength lies in how it presents and combines the already existing vast body of knowledge on bread.
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  Popup-ch

  This is an impressive work, investigating various aspects of baking with the same rigour, resources and revealing reproductions as in 'Modernist Cuisine'.
  
  There are lots of interesting anecdotes surrounding the main text (such as the surprisingly recent inventions of the baguette and ciabatta - 1930s and 1986 respectively), but the main text of the book is a systematic analysis of what happens when flour (of various kinds) is mixed with water, salt and yeast or levain in various proportions and under different conditions.
  
  Given that the book spans 2500 pages, the scope is surprisingly narrow. The treatment of flat breads is rather superficial, and apparently laminated dough falls completely outside the purview, so there's only scant mentions of croissants or pain au chocolat. Maybe there's a 'modernist pastry' in the pipeline?
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  emily

  As much as I enjoyed reading this, and would enjoy having a set of these books of my own one day - I feel like it was such a shame that the design and layout of the recipes/content are so dated. Despite the minimalist and clean outside/cover design, the inside wasn't impressive - it looked like one of those '100 things you need to know about bread'/'A-Z bread recipes' kind of books that one can easily find in a pile of books in a car-boot sale. There were a lot of good info/tips about bread/breadmaking - I just wished that it was more visually appealing - and that better photos were used. Even the way it was written felt like they needed a better editor. That being said, I am not ignoring the fact that despite all of its rushed-mess and aesthetic displeasure - it is still a good collection to have/own. It's also quite pricey - so I was very disappointed with the lack of care/attention towards the details. Nevertheless, it is definitely worth reading if you're looking to make a good loaf. I didn't know that 'vital wheat gluten' could be a fun ingredient to use with whilst making bread - like for making a high volume, big open-crumb rye bread. I guess 'seitan' isn't just vegan fried chicken.
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  Gary

  I never thought I'd put a cookbook as one of the 'books' I've read, but I've not seen a series of books like this before. First of all, it's 5 volumes and each volume weighs 10lbs. The volumes cover all aspects of bread making from history, grains, recipes, baking, scoring, shaping and storing. It's incredibly thorough with the latest information and science in breadmaking with more than 16,000 experiments conducted on just about every aspect of bread making. The book is approachable, fascinating to read, beautiful photography and complete. Hopefully, you can get from the library as did I because it's pricey.
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  Julianna

  This is the most comprehensive set of books on bread out there. If you are highly interested in the mechanics of how bread-making works, these cover everything, in more detail than you ever knew you needed. This gave me the confidence to get significantly more experimental with my approach to baking, rather than just blindly following a recipe.
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  Meg

  Much as i'd love to own this, I've looked at it in the library only, as there is no way I'd pay £350 for a book (and I have) unless it's leather bound and printed before 1700
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  David

  aka Everything you wanted to know about bread but were afraid to ask. Lavishly detailed, with hundreds of fantastic recipes and extensive advice on how to make good bread, brimming with knowledge, both the art and the science of bread making. It's immense and expensive, but breathtaking in its scope, variety, and depth.