The Village Baker

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

With this inspired book, Ortiz, a Capitola, Calif.-based ``village baker,'' generously and accurately shares the art of producing ``crusty, flavorful bread--with a chewy, voluptuous texture, the aroma of nuts, and a caramelized crust.'' The product of the serious study of French, German and Italian bakers and his own experimentation back at home, the book brings together of methods and recipes, including such mouth-watering selections as country-style French bread, raisin nut rye rolls, onion wheat bread and polenta bread. What makes the volume special--in addition to Ortiz's admirable dedication to thoroughness and accuracy--are the homemade starters that are used instead of commercially produced yeasts to give breads character. While recipes for professional bakers are included, the home baker--even the novice--should be able to follow the Ortiz method and come up with some great stuff. (Jan.)

Library Journal

Ortiz's ``village bakers'' work on a small scale, treating bread making as a craft rather than as mass production; they may be found in tiny European towns or in large cities in America, baking bread for their communities. The author is himself one of these dedicated individuals, with a bakery near Santa Cruz, and he has refined his experience by working with professional bakers abroad. Here he offers a thorough course for the home cook on bread making, with lengthy discussions of ingredients and techniques, followed by recipes for authentic regional breads of France, Italy, and Germany and for American ``village breads.'' Bernard Clayton's The Breads of France (1978) and Carol Field's The Italian Baker ( LJ 11/15/85) cover some of this ground. Otherwise, good bread books for the serious home cook have been few and far between, making this authoritative work highly recommended.