Crust & Crumb: Master Formulas For Serious Bakers

Rating:
Summary: a wonderful teaching book
Review: I loved brother Peter's first book so when I saw that he had a second book on bread baking, I had to get it. The Poolish worked according to his directions and the bread I have baked from it was truely wonderful. He did a great jab explaining between the different styles of starters and different preferms. He is not snobby like some bread books about sourdough and catching wild yeast. Bravo Borther Peter!

Rating:
Summary: Best Bread Book I've ever seen
Review: I originally found this book in the library and was so impressed with it over all other bread books I've ever read I had to buy a copy. It is more like taking a course in "everything you ever wanted to know about baking bread" than a "recipe book". If you are just wanting simple recipes to follow this is not your book. If you want to learn and know bread then this is definitely the book for you.

Rating:
Summary: The Mastery and Mystery of Bread Illuminated
Review: I purchased Crust & Crumb as another addition to my many cookbooks on bread baking. I sat down to scan my new purchase and the next thing I realized is it was 2:00am and I'd just read the book word for word, cover to cover. I honestly believe I could throw out the majority of my books on bread baking and not ever miss them as long as Crust & Crumb was on my shelf. One telltale sign of the books influence on myself is that my Kitchenaid Mixer is gathering dust as I roll up my sleeves and passionatly begin kneading. Once again connecting to the magic of transforming singular ingredients into a living, united mystery that is more than the sum of it's parts. I feel I've found a kinderd spirit in Brother Peter, and am truly inspired by his knowledge of the history about bread, the fundamental meaning of bread to mankind and the humble passion he has for the process. Brother Peter walks one through the combining of the age old flour, water and salt, and then encourages ones "unbeilf" as grace takes over and a golden, crusty loaf is born. As spacey as these musings sound, the book is concrete, practical and it follows,easy step by step formulas. I try very hard to find the meaning and mystery in the everyday (mundane) events such as baking bread. Brother Peter has done that for us in "Crust & Crumb".

Rating:
Summary: The Mastery and Mystery of Bread Illuminated
Review: I purchased Crust & Crumb as another addition to my many cookbooks on bread baking. I sat down to scan my new purchase and the next thing I realized is it was 2:00am and I'd just read the book word for word, cover to cover. I honestly believe I could throw out the majority of my books on bread baking and not ever miss them as long as Crust & Crumb was on my shelf. One telltale sign of the books influence on myself is that my Kitchenaid Mixer is gathering dust as I roll up my sleeves and passionatly begin kneading. Once again connecting to the magic of transforming singular ingredients into a living, united mystery that is more than the sum of it's parts. I feel I've found a kinderd spirit in Brother Peter, and am truly inspired by his knowledge of the history about bread, the fundamental meaning of bread to mankind and the humble passion he has for the process. Brother Peter walks one through the combining of the age old flour, water and salt, and then encourages ones "unbeilf" as grace takes over and a golden, crusty loaf is born. As spacey as these musings sound, the book is concrete, practical and it follows,easy step by step formulas. I try very hard to find the meaning and mystery in the everyday (mundane) events such as baking bread. Brother Peter has done that for us in "Crust & Crumb".

Rating:
Summary: Excellent/Great explanations
Review: I received my book about 2 weeks ago, and have made 2 fairly extensive recipes in it..One I took to a dinner party, and they didn't believe I made it..I had to go home and get the book!! I've baked for years, but bread is new in the last few years..Peter gives great explanations, directions, etc in the book..It's not just a book, it's a story..one you won't want to miss.

Rating:
Summary: If you want to make great bread get this book!!!!!
Review: I've always enjoyed really good bread but was reluctant to try baking my own. This book changed that. The book is well written and very readable. The author does a great job of leading you through the steps of making great bread. There are numerous recipes, equipment tips, and sources for various supplies listed. After reading this book and trying a few of the bread formulas my bread machine is collecting dust. You just can't beat a great loaf of hand-made oven baked bread. BUY THIS BOOK!!

Rating:
Summary: We won! In April "Crust and Crumb" received the Beard Award.
Review: In April "Crust and Crumb" received the James Beard Award as best baking and pastry book of the year. Thank you James Beard Foundation, and thanks to all you readers who have sent in such nice reviews and comments! May your bread always rise!

Rating:
Summary: Crust and Crumble
Review: Just not practical for the everyday home-baker. I am serious about baking and breadmaking, and have been very successful doing so. These Formulas are difficult to follow and usually take two to three days to make (Some even 5 days). The reality of this book is...it is more like a text book for a culinary school student not for a weekend baker. If you want some great bread baking recipes (all kinds like this book provides), invest in the Joy of Cooking. You'll get some great other recipes as well and EVERYBODY can enjoy making them. Hope this helped.

Rating:
Summary: too much ego -- not for home bakers
Review: Rarely has the personality of the author intruded into a cookbook to the point where I found myself unable to continue to read it. This book stinks.
All the author does is talk about how great he is "world class..bread olympics" Thats not what home baking is about.
If you want to learn to bake great bread at home get Bernard Clayton's books --he will teach you how to make great bread for fun and make all your friends happy.
If you want someone to be rude to you and talk down to you about his supposed baking skill ---then you can by my copy cheap!

Rating:
Summary: Writing economy problem
Review: Substantial flaws make this a semi-okay bread book. First of all, I am under the impression, that Peter Reinhart suffers from tunnel vision. He has never been to Italy, but insists the best Pizza is being made in the U.S.. Brillant. The book is filled with such amusing bits. I wonder what he tells us in his "Pizza - American [sic] Pie" book? Where it gets annoying are these things:

- Recipes stretch over more than two pages. Really hard to read. The read has to be able to grasp what the recipe is about in a few moments.

- Side remarks to the recipes are too long, not very concise and positioned at the beginning of the recipe in small font. Again very messy and confused writing style.

- The book does not have a lot of recipes in it.

- The photographs in the book show mediocre bread or breads that would not deserve the title "Baguette" or "Pizza" as stated.

- There is too little variation in using different flours. Reinhart states that he isn't a huge fan of darker rye breads, but what about more whole wheat, barley, spelt wheat, ... kinds of bread?

- The binding of the book causes the pages of the book to take on wavy shapes, the paper used is of lesser quality. It's not a cheap book, so this should be corrected ASAP.

I am tempted to add
"- Boy, that Peter Reinhart sure likes to hear himself talk"
I.E.: The book is totally blown out of proportion. The material in it would gladly fill one third of the volume it now has.

Peter Reinhart would prove himself a master writer and not only a master baker if he thoroughly revised this book from start to finish. More recipes, less esoteric talk! That's the message.