Bread Head

At Publican Quality Breads in Chicago, Greg Wade bakes rich, flavorful, naturally leavened breads with local organic flours. His philosophy draws from the music of the Grateful Dead, encouraging readers to live no particular way but our own" (make the bread you want to make) and to "hang it up and see what tomorrow brings" (when things don't turn out perfectly). Wade, who is largely self-taught, presents a laid-back master class that any home cook can engage with: he explains what happens to your breadon a cellular level as it ferments and bakes, and walks readers through the different grains and the various forms they can take (i.e., cracked, sprouted, whole-grain, coarse-milled), describes their flavors, and sheds light on how they behave and what could be substituted with success. His recipes move from simple to more complex and include a delicious basic sandwich loaf, a ciabatta spiked with roasted garlic and mashed potato, as well as crispy, fluffy bagels and whole-wheat pretzels. Experienced bakers will enjoy endlessly riff-able bakes like Ethiopian Injera, White Wheat Tortillas, and Khachapuri (a Georgian egg and cheese bread). Bonuses include baker's percentages with all recipes and a template baking log to record each baking success (and failure). Tripped out with vibrant photographs and a groovy design, Bread Head is ideal for obsessive home bakers eager to craft breads that rival the best professional kitchens"--