The Taste of Bread: A translation of Le Goût du Pain, comment le préserver, comment le retrouver

I bought this book because it has a wide reputation as a resource for understanding the subtle and multitudinous nuances of bread making. In that regard the book was not significantly unsatisfactory.There is ample discussion on mixing and over mixing of doughs; extensive discussion of the positive effects of increased fermentation times; and French type 55 flour.However, the positive discussions notwithstanding, there are some more general structural and perspectival issues that seem to be present about which I would like to clue the prospective purchaser of this book, especially if that purchaser is interested in naturally fermented breads and or unorthodox grains or grain combinations.1. Professor Calvel myopically focuses on specifically white flour. He is not interested in any kind of high extraction flours, whatever their provenance. For him, any whiff of whole meal flour has the flavor of ash. There is no room in his perspective for the possibility of high flavor, freshly milled grains. Because of his obvious negative perspective on the flavor of whole meal flours, Prof. Calvel even goes so far as to say that the nutritional benefits of whole grains might only be beneficial to a constipated person.2. Prof. Calvel focuses predominantly on the glories of straight dough fermentations of a prolonged bulk fermentation. His comments about naturally fermented breads are usually restricted to saying that naturally fermented breads have odors of vinegar and do not rise as much as alternative formulations. This may be true of some, and indeed many, naturally fermented breads, but it is not a requirement. Many naturally fermented breads taste superb, and rise fantastically. Indeed, they may rise superiorly if the baker maintains the culture well. Not only is there a lack of positive or extensive discussion of natural ferments, but he only has negative comments for them.3. There is a general lack of discussion of rye breads and the requirements of rye bread baking. I think this lack of discussion is due to Prof. Calvel's predisposition to ignore naturally fermented breads. For example, in some of the rye bread recipes, due to the need for an acidifying agent, the recipe calls for white wine vinegar. This seems to me to be an unnatural step to take, and only in the interest of avoiding a natural preferment.3. There are multiple segments of the book that left me scratching my head. For example, in the section discussing flour blending at a mill, the author says, "French flours are 'straight process' flours, meaning that the streams are blended back together, yielding an extraction rate of 72% to 78%...Unlike French straight process flours, most flours encountered in the US and Canada are admixtures of only certain flour streams." However, this statement would give an impression that all the flour streams in a French mill are blended in their original proportions, which of course is impossible if the extraction rate is 72% to 78%. Even the name type 55 flour directly means that the flour is blended to produce an ash content of .55%. My issue is that his description of the milling belies the complexity of the milling by making it seem that the French flour is simply the streams of the flourmill remixed together.Another example is Prof. Calvel's diatribe against breads with a floured surface. This is typically done to prevent a paton from sticking to a banneton. He likes neither the look, nor the taste, the crust of a bread. I understand and can appreciate these grievances. However, Prof. Calvel give no suitable alternative for ensuring that a paton of bread does not stick to a banneton. He simply says that the banneton should not be floured.Related to the quality of photos and translation I have a few comments as well.1. Many of the photos in the book of farms, milling equipment and baking equipment are of American or Canadian versions. For a book that is supposedly about the French version of things, there is a lack of examples of the French versions.2. The photos in the book are abysmally small. Many are black and white and undersized. Because the photos are undersized and many are without color, the effect of the photos are lost because I cannot discern the detail that I am supposed to see.Lastly, I might add a few more general points: the book has the tone of a eulogy for French breads of the inter war period. These breads were straight doughs of long bulk fermentation. Prof. Calvel's perspective is limited to pure white wheat breads. There is no interest in any alternative grains such as spelt, kamut or einkorn.Personally, if you were looking to learn about bread baking with natural preferments and with any additional grains, I would recommend Jeffrey Hamelman's book Bread: A baker's book of techniques and recipes. His explanations of every facet of bread preparation and baking is more extensive and detailed. His book is significantly cheaper and his perspective is more democratic.

This book is for any serious baker and should be required reading on all levels. I took a class with Prof. MacGuire and James Hammelman at King Aurthur and it was an honor to work with both of them. Prof Calvel is gone now, but his passion lives on. If you are a serious baker you should get this. I think I paid $100. but worth it.

This was a gift. When asked, the recipient said:"5 is most amazing best book ever."So it's go that going for it.Which is nice.

Yes, it is supposed to be the best of the bread making books however, within the first chapter you become convinced, if you are in America you'll never be able to get good flour, unless you are a professional with a budget, to make a high quality product. Not an easy read.

Good for using French flours. I wish it was more geared to home baking than bakery baking.

Great book for professional guidance.

Informative. Good buy

.I wish to thank Amazon for removing my purchase of this book from backorder where it remained for half a year and mysteriously canceling without notice, citing The Taste of Bread is "no longer available from any source" as the reason. Days later Amazon reissued this title for public sale at a cost of $15.00 more than they charged me!Is it really available now? --- Who knows?I thank Amazon because during those months of waiting for my order to ship, I fell in love with ---  Bread: A Baker's Book of Techniques and Recipes , By Jeffrey Hamelman and have worked from it extensively with remarkable result. In fact, Professor Calvel, a legend for his autolyse method, also offers his recommendation of "Bread: A Baker's Book."  Bread: A Baker's Book of Techniques and Recipes Nancy Silverman of La Brea Bakery occasionally utilizes autolyse method for some of her recipes  Nancy Silverton's Breads from the La Brea Bakery: Recipes for the Connoisseur . However, Jeffrey Hamelman demystifies the autolyse technique and simplifies it to the point of becoming a nonevent in the baking technique arsenal.My homework on this edition of Taste of Bread quite likely spared me an expensive learning curve, and the much aggravation of struggling with what many have claimed is a poorly edited translation of Raymond Calvel's Le Gout du Pain. It is my hope that they will seize upon the interest in Raymond Calvel's contribution to baking and re-issue a more finely edited version for the American baker at a cost that reflects the current market structure.Following is the table of contents for this 200 page book----Those who are not conversant with Baker's percentages will struggle with this information that is aimed at commercial bakers. It is not structured toward the casual cook._____________________PART I---CHARACTERISTICS OF RAW MATERIALS ANDDOUCH PRODUCTION Four Type and Condition of Wheat Milled into Bread Flour Nature of Breadmaking Flour Technical Characteristics of Breadmaking Flour Dough The Composition of Dough The influence of Processing Agents and the Use of Additives Additions to French Bread in Certain Foreign Countries The Influence of IngredientsPART II---THE ROLE OF MIXING AND OF YEASTFERMENTATION IN THE CREATION OF BREAD TASTE Mixing Mixing: Dough Production and the Physicochemical Development, Oxidation, and Maturation of Dough Excessive Oxidation and Its Consequences Fermentation The Role of Bread Fermentation The Influence of Different Breadmaking Methods on Taste Evolutionary Changes in the Different Breadmaking Methods Organic Acids The Identification of Volatile Organic Acids and Their Influence on the Taste of Bread The Relationship of Organic Acids, Mixing Intensity, Dough Oxidation Level, and Bread Production Method Dough Maturation and Development The Influence of Dough Maturation Level The Effects of Changes in pH and Residual Sugar Levels The Effects of Loaf Molding The Effect of Type and Degree of Paton Development The Effects of Freezing Unbaked and Parbaked LoavesPART III---BAKING AND KEEPING QUALITIES OFBREAD AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO TASTE Bread Crust Ovens Used in Bread Baking Formation, Coloration, and Degree of Crust Baking and Their Relationship to Bread Taste The Effects of Oven Steam on Crust Teste Flour-Dusted Breads and Crust Taste Scaling of Bread Crust Frozen Storage of Baked Bread Bread Crumb Foremation and Baking of the Crumb Crumb Color and Cell Structure Bread Staling Storage and Staling Effects on Bread Taste Bread Staling and Factors that Influence It Consumption of Stale Bread Shelf Life and Taste of Industrially Produced Packaged Breads Types of Bread SpoilagePART IV---TRADITIONAL AND SPECIALTY BREADPRODUCTION Basic French Bread Breadmaking with Levain and with Levain de Pate Yeast-Raised French Bread (Pain Courant) Rustic (Country-Style) Bread with Pure-Wheat Flour Specialty Breads Specialty Breads Breads for Filling or Topping Savory and Aromatic BreadsPART V---YEAST-RAISED SWEET DOUGH PRODUCTS,COMMON AND DIETETIC RUSKS, BREADSTICKS,CROISSANTS, PARISIAN AND REGIONAL BRIOCHES Rusks and Specialty Toasted Breads Rusks (Biscotte Courant) Gluten-Free Breads Breadsticks and Grissini Yeast-Raised Sweet Doughs Traditional Croissants Chocolate-Filled Buns from Croissant Dough Snail Rolls Brioches Regional Brioches Regional Brioches Vendee-Style Brioche Specialty Brioches Brioche-Type Hearth Cakes from Other LandsPART VI---NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF BREAD, BREAD ANDGASTRONOMY, BREAD AND THE CONSUMER Qualities of Bread The Nutritional Value of Bread Caloric Content and Bioavailability The Progressive Decline of Bread Consumption in France Bread Made from Stone-Ground Flour Bread and Gastronomy Comparing Bread with Other FoodsSelected Works of Professor Raymond Calval Ronald L. Wirtz

Although very expensive I am finding this a great resource will update my review once am finished reading.A pastry chef recommended this book to me

If you want to have a great knowledge and inderstanding of breads, its preparations and key ingredients, read prof. Calvel’s book. It is uncredible!

A technical book highly meeting my expectations. The photos could have been in better resolution.

è un libro per chi vuole capire anche i perché del pane, non solo i che (le ricette, comunque, ci sono).Illuminante anche tutta la parte dedicata al lievito naturale, con gli studi sulla sua conservazione (che hanno messo in rilievo come il freezer o anche il frigo possano compromettere la vita dei lieviti selvaggi (la parte di lievito, non dei batteri).Io l'ho comprato, visto il prezzo, come ebook ma se lo trovate in cartaceo in occasione fateci un pensierino.

A very technical book which is exactly what I was expecting. An excellent book if you want to really understand the chemistry of bread baking. This is a treasure.