Tartine Bread

Tartine Bread

By Chad Robertson

Chronicle Books, 2010. 304 pages. Nonfiction

The bread at San Francisco's legendary Tartine Bakery was developed by renowned baker Chad Robertson over a decade of working with the finest artisan bakers in the United States and France, followed by another decade baking solo in a small wood-fired oven on the coast of Northern California. The following for this singular bread far exceeds the bakery's daily production. Now, clear instructions and hundreds of step-by-step photos show you how to make this elemental bread. Also included are more than 30 sweet and savory recipes using the day-old bread to make sandwiches, soups, puddings, French toast and kale Caesar.

I've read this book a few times, each with a different intention. I love that it's not only a well-documented sourdough method, but also a memoir of the author's bread journey and also a history of the bakery. While Robertson does go fairly deep into the chemistry behind sourdough (well beyond my understanding), his descriptions and steps make at-home sourdough not only possible, but edible. I'd recommend this simple but detailed book to people looking to start their own sourdough, those who want to improve their technique, or even readers who just want to learn about someone who loves bread. 

If you like Tartine Bread, you may also like:

Bread Book

By Chad Robertson, Jennifer Latham, and Liz Barclay

Random House, 2021. 368 pages. Nonfiction

Visionary baker Chad Robertson unveils what's next in bread, drawing on a decade of innovation in grain farming, flour milling, and fermentation with all-new ground-breaking formulas and techniques for making his most nutrient-rich and sublime loaves, rolls, and more-plus recipes for nourishing meals that showcase them.

Flour Water Salt Yeast

By Ken Forkish

Ten Speed Press, 2012. 265 pages. Nonfiction

From Portland's most acclaimed and beloved baker comes this must-have baking guide, featuring scores of recipes for world-class breads and pizzas and a variety of schedules suited for the home baker. In Flour Water Salt Yeast, author Ken Forkish demonstrates that high-quality artisan bread and pizza is within the reach of any home baker. Whether it's a basic straight dough, dough made with a pre-ferment, or a complex levain, each of Forkish's impeccable recipes yields exceptional results. Tips on creating and adapting bread baking schedules that fit in reader's day-to-day lives--enabling them to bake the breads they love in the time they have available--make Flour Water Salt Yeast an indispensable resource for bakers, be they novices or serious enthusiasts

My Bread

By Jim Lahey

W.W. Norton & Company, 2009. 222 pages. Nonfiction

Here, thanks to Jim Lahey, New York's premier baker, is a way to make bread at home that doesn't rely on a fancy bread machine or complicated kneading techniques. The secret to Jim Lahey's bread is slow-rise fermentation. As Jim shows in My Bread, with step-by-step instructions followed by step-by-step pictures, the amount of labor you put in amounts to 5 minutes: mix water, flour, yeast, and salt, and then let time work its magic--no kneading necessary. The process couldn't be more simple, or the results more inspiring. Here Jim Lahey gives us a cookbook that enables us to fit quality bread into our lives at home.

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