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Summary: No keading, LIE! 90 Minutes, LIE!
Review: The breads in this book do turn out nicely. The recipes are easy to follow. However, the title is completely misleading. Almost none of the recipes can be made start to finish in 90 minutes. Instead of kneading she has you "stir." Which is actually more difficult than kneading. If you have a mixer that will knead dough, it makes these recipes even easier. I use my Kitchenaid stand mixer.
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Summary: Real Good Bread--Real Easy!
Review: The breads turn out just like author Suzanne Dunaway says they will. Focaccia was an outstanding success--enjoyed by family, friends and neighbors. Ciabatta--without a doubt one of the best breads I've ever made.I've been working my way through the book recipe by recipe--have not had a single disappointment yet. The dough handles just as Suzanne describes it. The proof is in the outstanding breads you can produce. This conversational book "talks to me"--puts me at ease. It makes bread making "user friendly". I've recommended No Need to Knead to relatives, friends, even a Williams Sonoma Store Manager who used to own a specialty bakery and who now does not have the time to give to elaborate bread making--yet she still wants that old world quality and excellence. Over the years, I've baked over 2000 loaves of bread made from scratch as well as a hundred or so loaves with bread machines. I have a working familiarity with books including Beard on Bread, Lora Brody, Jacques Pepin, Bernard Clayton, Julia Childs among others. Suzanne Dunaway's book is one I recommend to all: the simplest to follow. It's a no brainer to make outstanding bread following her methods.
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Summary: Holy Focaccia, Batman!
Review: The following is a copy of a letter that I sent to Suzanne at buonaforchetta.com. Dear Suzanne: My name is Michael Tapia, I live in Boise, Idaho, and I have to blame you for an obssession; a no knead, artisan bread, obsession. First, some background. My wife Anna and I, visited Tuscany in the Fall of 1998. Rome, San Gimingnano, Florence, Siena (or, "Home," as Anna would call it) the Badia al Coltibuono estate, Lago Maggiore, Lago de Como. Before our trip, we we interested in all things Italian, (my mother's side of the family comes from Italia del Nord), after our trip, we were confirmed Tuscans. Most of our cooking at home, is done with Tuscan culinary philosophy in mind; fresh, seasonal ingriedients, "leftovers" carefully collected (even planned) for the next day's meals, elegant simplicity, and lots of good EV olive oil. Anna has been the main chef in the house, and has been doing a select catering business for 4 or five years now, catering to friends or friends of friends, I say "select" because she is accustomed to taking only the jobs where the people are interested in eating what she's interested in cooking. I have been main taster, strong back, and swarthy-master-prep-guy. I have my own specialities, Risotto, Crawfish etouffee' (sp?) grilled Vitello with Carciofi, and now, Artisan Breads. Anna has never been much of a baker. She loves to cook, hates to bake. For years I have chided her (in a loving, friendly way of course), about this I would tell our friends: "fact. Don't order baked goods from Anna, Anna can make charcoal out of a boxed cake mix ." One day, I was home and looking for something new to cook. Anna suggested that I try baking bread, since I had given her so much grief, and since I had been talking about baking for some time. "Bread baking? That's too much work, and we don't really have the right tools," said I. We had tried some italian loaves using the traditional method in the past. Good bread, hard work. "Oh, we've got that cook book, No need to knead, " Anna replied. "Italian bread without kneading?" said I. "It's gonna come out all grainy or flat, or like those so-called "organic" breads that taste like you're eating a handful of horse feed." I was sceptical, to say the least. "No, she's got like focaccia, and ciabiatta in there, it looks kinda good, but you know about me and baking," Anna urged. "Okay, I'll try one, but if it tastes like heath food, I blame you." I said. So, I made a focaccia, using your book, and my 10 in. Caphalon saute pan. That was 3 months ago, and I've made fresh bread at least every other day since. Focaccia, (traditional rounds with holes, and in the boule, my daughter Sydney is a "Crumb," I am most certainly a "Crust"), Fogasse, Filoncino Rosmarino and Kalamata, (Anna's favorite bread is the Rosmarino), Ciabatta, and some of the pizze (the basic pizza dough is so easy and good, it's nearly criminal). It helps having fresh Tuscan Rosemary, Sage,Basil, and three types of Thyme, out in the yard, my breads would be costing a fortune, if not for Anna's care for building a decent herb garden. So, your revolution has now a devoted soldier. I find that I am planning my day around the biga or old dough I have invaribly sitting around the house somewhere (or outside in the back seat of my Acura when I think it needs a little warmer "room temperature" than is in the kitchen), or around the meals Anna and I are planning, and what bread will complement what (the focaccia rolls, a little well done, are like the fantastic, traditional Wisconsin hard rolls which complement Johnsonville Brautwurst). My friend and former boss from Italy, Vincenzo Tomassetti, was impressed with the focaccia I made him, so much so that the week before he left for Italy, he ate at my house every night, and requested (or rather, demanded) fresh focaccia daily. Watching my friend greedily mopping remains of Alio y Olio Pepperoncino, with my fresh focaccia, is a memory that will remain. I took a Rosmarino Filoncino to a Fourth of July party this week, and it was gone in 3 minutes. I should have brought two. I've gone from the little bags of Gold Medal Flour to medium to the 25 pound bags. On nights I can't sleep, (last night for instance) I am invariably up stirring a biga at 2am, or checking my larder for ingredients for something I haven't tried yet. I'm now not sure if I'm baking bread because I can't sleep, or if I can't sleep because I'm thinking about baking bread. Anna actually said she had an "order" for some loaves for a catering job she has next week, I couldn't have been happier. So, Suzanne, without embellishing, your book, (and the care, love, humor, and clear recipes within) have changed our home. My kids (Sydney and Bennett) now rarely eat store bought, white bread, in fact, they put in their own little bread orders during the week, and I am happy to oblige. The bottom line for writing you this novella, is that there is now and forever fresh delicious bread on our table almost every day, and it is in very large part, due to you. Thank you, so much. Sincerely, Michael Tapia
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Summary: This book is my "right arm".
Review: The receipies and methods I learned from Suzanne have quickly become staples for our kitchen and home. The pizza dough alone establishes the credibility of the book. The daily bread receipies are wonderful and so DO-ABLE! Who would think bread with so much texture and flavor can be made with so little fuss.
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Summary: I needed this book
Review: This book has inspired me to turn my oven back on. As an avid recreational baker who just returned to the work force, I needed a format to guide me back to the kitchen to make bread for my family. The cover of the book says it all. "Handmade Italian breads in 90 minutes." What a great idea! I had to give it a try. My first bread out of this book was the focaccia recipe. EASY! WONDERFUL! I'd made focaccia before, but never with the texture and flavor of this bread. It was awesome! Now I have to resurrect my Friday night pizza habit and try the pizza dough. Besides the recipes, Suzanne Dunaway lets us into her kitchen with her narrative. I'm always interested in what inspires other cooks/bakers, and her stories of her own inspiration in turn inspired me.
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Summary: A Real Find
Review: This book is a real find. The basic recipe makes baking bread so easy that I don't think twice about doing it, and it makes really excellent bread. All of the other recipes that I have tried are also great. Bread baking can still be a project if I want it to be, but it no longer has to be. Very highly recommended.
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Summary: Wonderful!!! Making bread is EASY now!
Review: This book is amazing! Easy-to-follow instructions make creating your own fresh, delicious bread a breeze. The author's style really comes through and the whole book takes on a friendly tone. Get two copies - one to keep for yourself, and one to loan out to the friends who will be asking for your recipes!
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Summary: IT'S TRUE!
Review: This book takes the mystery and fuss out of making outstanding breads. Ms. Dunaway's directions are clear, easy to follow and utterly successful. Unlike other bread-baking books, her technique is straightforward and does not require any previous skill or specialized equipment. The actual work-time on the bread is usually less than 10 minutes, less time than a trip to the store to buy a tasteless loaf! I hope that she comes up with more books soon, this one is an absolute winner.
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Summary: Wow, even I can bake bread!
Review: This is a great cookbook. I was familar with Ms. Dunaway's breads from buying them at the local grocery, they are great and tasty. When I saw this book I had to buy it, and I have not been a bit sorry. In the two weeks I have owned this book I have tried three recipes: The basic Focaccia, the delicious Apricot Focaccia, and a French Baguette. The recipes couldn't have been easier to follow, and the results were perfect. I am absolutely thrilled to find a book that makes the process of baking bread so completely enjoyable and seemingly fool proof. I can not recommend this book highly enough.
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Summary: Must have Book about Bread
Review: This is a must have book if you enjoy making or eating bread. It is an excellent read if you choose to never make a loaf of bread. The bread making process is explained in an entertaining manner. I was delighted to know that it isn't something I've done that prevents me from making a truly San Francisco Sourdough Bread. It can only be made in San Francisco. Suzanne has a love for her topic and a delightful way of imparting that love to her readers.
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