Modernist Bread by Nathan Myhrvold

Modernist Bread provides a revolutionary new understanding of one of the most important staples of the human diet. Created by the team that published the critically acclaimed Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking, this James Beard Award–winning encyclopedia of practical knowledge and groundbreaking techniques captures over four years of independent research and collaborations with leading industry professionals. The result is the most in-depth look at bread to date. Stunning photography brings the complete story of bread to life across five volumes―uncover its incredible history, loaves from every corner of the world, and the breath-taking beauty of scientific phenomena at work above and below the crust. In Modernist Bread, you will discover innovative recipes and techniques developed by the Modernist Cuisine team that have not been published anywhere else. Housed in a sleek stainless-steel case, this five-volume set contains more than 1,500 traditional and avant-garde recipes, as well as a wire-bound kitchen manual so that you can easily bring all the recipes into the kitchen in one compact collection. Spanning over 2,600 pages, Modernist Bread will become an invaluable resource for anyone who has a thirst for knowledge about bread or wants to advance their craft. This book is a call to arms for any baker―whether you are a strict traditionalist, avid Modernist, home baker, restaurant chef, or artisanal baker―to embrace the possibilities of invention and follow your inspiration to make breads in your own way. Read more

From the Publisher Introducing Modernist Bread Modernist Bread places the latest scientific research and state-of-the-art applications into the hands of anyone searching for answers about bread making. Spanning over 2,600 pages, this is the largest, most comprehensive book ever written about bread. Modernist Bread isn’t just about new recipes—it’s about the way we think of bread from the ground up. A Look Inside Five Volumes of Bread Discover the complete story of bread across five volumes. The first three volumes of Modernist Bread provide an in-depth look at history, fundamentals, ingredients, techniques, and equipment—they’re followed by two full volumes of recipes and a portable recipe manual. A Book for Every Type of Baker Whether you’re new to baking or a seasoned pro, you can bake out of this book no matter what kind of equipment you have. All of the recipes in Modernist Bread were developed for professional and home ovens as well as different mixing methods and mixers. You’ll also find recipe guides to help you determine where to start based on experience level as well as how much time you have. New Discoveries and Techniques A faster panettone. A sweet-and-sour levain. An aha moment that transformed our ryes. The result of over four years of research and more than 1,600 experiments, Modernist Bread contains dozens of new insights and techniques that will surprise and delight you—and help you make better bread. Features Over 1,200 Recipes and Variations Modernist Bread encapsulates breads and bread-making methods from around the world, with a guide to help you get started. Make lean breads, enriched breads, rye breads, whole-grain breads, and flatbreads. Also included are recipes for bagels, pretzels, bao, gluten-free breads, and bread machines. Recipe Manual Included with the set, a 440-page wire-bound recipe manual makes it easy to bring all of the recipes and reference tables into the kitchen in one compact collection. Stainless Steel Case The sleek, durable, stainless steel case that houses Modernist Bread is thoughtfully designed with tapered edges and spacers to prevent damage and make the volumes easy to access. Over 5,000 Photographs Stunning images capture bread as you’ve never seen it before. You’ll also find helpful step-by-step photos that walk you through important details of nearly every technique and master recipe in the book.