Book Recommendations
The following collection are books that I’ve purchased or borrowed (or borrowed and then purchased!) or been given to review. I’ve found these books to be full of practical knowledge. Some are for beginners and some are more advanced, but all are inspiring (and beautifully illustrated) and have helped me along in my sourdough journey. Click on the book cover to purchase.
Artisan sourdough Made Simple
by Emilie Raffa - my first “sourdough book” purchase for my sister who was starting her sourdough journey. Emilie’s book is an excellent resource for beginners with over 60 super approachable and easy to learn recipes. Especially practical for learners with busy schedules.
Bread Science
by Emily Buehler - best price is through her website (linked). This book really helped me understand what was happening in my dough at the micro level and how each step of the bread making process affects the final product. Full of helpful illustrations and easy to read scientific descriptions.
Sourdough Every Day
By Hanna Dela Cruz - Unlike other bread cookbooks that only have one sourdough section, Sourdough Every Day is fully devoted to the craft of sourdough. Hannah teaches you how to start and maintain a healthy sourdough starter and then guides you through making your first loaf. With over 50 diverse recipes, bakers of all levels with discover creative and unexpected ways to use sourdough in dishes you wouldn’t have thought possible.
BRead Baking for beginners
by Bonnie Ohara - This book is great for beginner SD baker’s (like Jenna Fisher) who might be too intimidated to jump into more advanced recipes. Bonnie’s book works like a training manual using different (delicious) yeasted recipes and builds your confidence and skills graduating you to a beginner’s SD recipe at the end of the book.
LIVING BREAD
by Daniel Leader - I really loved this beautiful book with over 60 recipes (largest portion sourdough recipes), bread history, insights on artisan flour and home milling. With 30 inspiring profiles on artisan bakers, I felt like I was touring the best artisan bakeries in Europe with Daniel as my guide. Thanks for gifting me this beautiful book Avery Books.
Southern Ground
By Jennifer Lapidus
Sourdough
by Sarah Owens - This book is simply beautiful. Winner of the prestigious James Beard Award this book “celebrates seasonal abundance alongside the timeless craft of artisanal baking.” She provides a great tutorial on sourdough and guides you through the seasons with recipes highlighting fermentation and a diverse array whole food ingredients.
Poilâne
by Apollonia Poilâne - 3rd generation baker and CEO of her family’s world famous Parisian bakery, Apollonia shares her journey, thoughts, and bakery’s philosophy. Full of a wide range of delicious recipes, starting with a version of Pain Poilâne, their famous sourdough miche, originally developed by her grandfather Pierre. After reading this book you might find yourself looking for a plane ticket to Paris!
Bread
by Jeffrey Hamelman - AKA the bread bible. This book is for anyone from beginners to advanced. It covers EVERYTHING from chemistry to technique with tons of recipes that are scaled for home baker’s and professional kitchens. A must have for any aspiring bread baker.
