My Bread: The Revolutionary No-Work, No-Knead Method

Taste and texture of artisanal bread at home

I can't recommned this book highly enough. I had only ever tried to make bread twice before with so-so results. The method featured in this book is very easy and most importantly very forgiving. First the quantities are not totally rigid especially the amount of yeast since the long rising time require less yeast than a fast rise method. If you can not rise the dough at 75 degree then just rise it longer which I found worked for me. With more practice you'll find the right adjustments for that and other variables such as the temperature of your oven.

The bread comes out tasting and looking like artisanal bread: dark and crusty on the outside with a soft chewy interior. Only the shape is different since it comes out round from a round five quart cast iron pot. The author emphasizes the extra taste that comes from letting the yeast do its thing longer. So it is not simply about saving labor since Jim Lahey's method does take longer and more planning and patience. Ultimately this method is about taste and texture and a ease of consistency in results.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

The Best

I have been baking bread for years trying to achieve the perfect crusty, artisian loaf at home. With Jim's clear instructions I now produce a crusty, earthy tasting loaf at least every other day. Can't get enough of that bread. The only hesitation in making the bread is the handling of a very hot cast iron pot, but after you've done it once it will become second nature. If you're using a cuisart pot I recommed you replace the plastic knob with their metal knob, availabe at kitchen shops. Also try Jim's pizza, thin really crispy crust "to die for".

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

The technique requires some patience, but produces great bread.

Highly recommend this book, basic recipe produces great bread, and then takes you beyond the basic when you are ready. Bread made so far has not disappointed.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

A New World of Bread Baking.

After having tried various methods to produce an artisanal loaf, this cookbook has the answer. The method is simple and fool proof. I've baked other breads that were good, but the long, slow rise gives you a good chewy, crusty loaf of artisanal bread. I even tried applying the method to my sour dough bread - by making a wetter bread - with no yeast and while it wasn't quite as good (not enough salt) the method works every time. I found through trial and error that baking in a glazed cast iron pot or glazed ceramic pot, produced the best bread. When I tried to bake the ciabatta on my baking stone ( a 3/4" slab of granite) I had some burned bottoms - which might not occur on the commercial smaller stones. But putting cornmeal on the stone helped to prevent sticking. All in all, this is a wonderful book that I have already recommended to family and friends who were also delighted with their results.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

My Bread

While visiting my daughter we had dinner at a friends. He is a gourmet cook and had made bread to go with dinner. The bread was delicious, so we asked how he made it. He brought out "My Bread" and explained how easy it was to make. My daughter bought the book and we made bread from one of the recipes and indeed it was easy and delicious. I went home and bought the book and have made several breads and this week I'll be making home made Pizza with a recipe from "My Bread". I will say that this is not an inexpensive project as you need to buy a cast iron pot that runs $40.00 and up plus the cost of the book. My husband jokingly says I'll have to make a lot of bread to cover the cost. My only problem is that I love bread and it loves me and my hips. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes bread.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

DIY Bread

I have always been a fan of Jim Leahy's Sullivan Street Bakery, here in NYC. And, when I saw his "No Knead Bread" recipe in the NY Times a few years ago, I jumped at the opportunity to try making Sullivan Bakery style bread at home. It proved to be incredibly easy--simply combining flours, yeast, salt and water--with the only "complication" being the scheduling of when to make the bread, and when to prepare it for its second rise and actual baking time. The dough needs anywhere from 12-18 hours initial rising time, and another 1-2 hours for the second rise. Once you figure out when it's convenient, it gets easier and easier. Mix, wait, bake! (On a side note, start your mix at 7am and by the time you get back from work, you can prep it for its second rise and bake before you go to sleep. This prevents you from the temptation of cutting into the bread out of the oven (which you shouldn't do anyway because it affect the bread quality!), and leaves you with freshly baked bread for the morning.

The book itself provides plenty of bread variations that revolve around this method, beautifully photographed. Also, another great thing about this book is that Jim makes recommendations for equipment, making this style of bread production easy and achievable by everyone.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Anyone can be a baker with this book

I am considered an advanced baker. I have been baking bread for over 40 years. This method makes bread baking easier, no it makes it almost no work at all.
I love to knead a good dough but as age advances my hands no longer want to work that hard. I found a web site Breadtopoia.com several years ago and it featured this bread and I now make bread with little to no keading.
This bread is so flavorful that someone actually wanted to pay me to make it for them. This book takes the basic no knead bread and offers different ingredients that change the original in such a way that no one can tell it is the same recipe.
There is a child that is 4 years old in a set of photos on the net making this bread all by himself from start to finish. Now if a 4 y/o can make it so can you.
I have made the original, whole wheat, and olive breads with great sucess.
This is a no knead, no pain not trouble incredibly delicious bread: you must try it to see for yourself. For anyone that thinks they can never make bread they are wrong. Before you buy it get it from the library, as I did, you will want this book even more after you get a taste of its' contents.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

My Bread

When you have an interest in baking bread, and you love the variety presented, you will never eat any other bread again.
naturally you will have to make and set up the suggested requirements by the book, but the final product is just to die for.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

AWESUM BREAD DUDE !

I recieved "My Bread" as a birthday gift and imeadatly started baking delicious hot crispy bread.Jim Lahey's method is simple and most forgiving for beginners like myself.A bonous in this fabulous book are the pizza recipes so good that my socks are still going up and down! This is a great addition to anyone's cookbook library.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Great Bread!

The basic recipe makes absolutely the best crust I've ever made. The loaf looks like it came from a bakery. The hardest part is counting the hours til you put it in the oven.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Not Good

I tried to use a gift card to purchased a book,title MY BREAD. I thought it was on the way--then I got a e-mail say-something was not complete-they were waiting for something else to come. I don't know what that would have been, since the gift card value would have covered the purchase. I would still like to purchase the book.

0 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

AWESOME BOOK! AMAZING BREAD!!!!!

I bought this book for my husband while visiting the Sullivan Street Bakery in NYC. Having tested these recipes first hand, I was skeptical about being able to make such delicious breads. All you need is a scale (to weigh ingredients) and a cast iron pot for perfect bread every time... even whole wheat and rye variations!

We loved it so much we sent it as a housewarming gift to our friends.

Our favorite recipes are the rustic breads (like on the cover of the book) and the pizza dough. You can't go wrong:)

YUM

Easy, fail-proof technique. Everyone's impressed to learn I've made the bread myself.

Great bread?

well worth the effort to bake this bread

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