In this follow-up to his award-winning book The Bread Baker’s Apprentice, Peter Reinhart offers groundbreaking methods for baking whole grain breads that taste better than any you’ve ever had.

We know whole grain breads are better for us, but will we actually eat them, much less take time to bake them?

Yes, says beloved baking instructor Peter Reinhart, but only if they are very, very good. So Reinhart, with his decades of experience crafting amazing artisanal breads, has made it his mission to create whole grain breads that are nothing short of incredible.

And because his approach is also simpler and less labor intensive than conventional techniques, you’ll choose to make and eat these breads. His fifty-five recipes for whole grain sandwich, hearth, and specialty breads, plus bagels, crackers, and more, incorporate widely available whole wheat flour as well as other flours and grains such as rye, barley, steel-cut oats, cornmeal, and quinoa. Each is so rich with flavor and satisfying texture that white-flour counterparts pale in comparison.

Written in Reinhart’s famously clear style and accompanied by inspiring photographs, these recipes were perfected with the help of nearly 350 testers. Introductory chapters provide a tutorial, with step-by-step photographs, of the delayed fermentation method that is at the heart of these recipes, as well as a crash course in baking science, discussions of grains other than wheat, and more. Advanced bakers will relish Reinhart’s innovative techniques and exacting scientific explanations, and beginning bakers will rejoice in the ease of baking wholesome breads with such extraordinary flavor.

Reviews

“We’ve always known how good whole grain breads are for us, but we’ve also known how they’re usually heavy, dense, and sort of boring. Now here comes Peter Reinhart, a passionate bread scientist who has figured out fifty-five different ways to make whole grain breads light and delicious. His work is nothing short of revolutionary.”

–Sara Moulton, Food Network host and author of Sara’s Secrets for Weeknight Meals


“No one is better qualified–either as a teacher or as a baker–than Peter Reinhart to tackle the complex subject of whole grain breads. His techniques and recipes are easy to follow and yield excellent results every time. Peter and his breads are the real thing.”

–Nick Malgieri, author of How to Bake and A Baker’s Tour


“Whole Grain Breads is a beautiful and important work, which is no big surprise coming, as it does, from Peter Reinhart. Everything here is a gift: the breads themselves (both described and pictured), the poetic voice, the story, the technique, and the generous spirit. Read this from cover to cover, and you will find yourself looking at all food differently, from a new height and a deeper appreciation.”

–Mollie Katzen, author of The Moosewood Cookbook


“I’ve spent years following directions from more than a dozen bread baking books. I’ve babied bowls of dough in various stages of fermentation, and I’ve only ended up with bread that tastes like an inner tube. Peter has unraveled the mystery of baking, and I now approach this intimidating subject with confidence.”

–James Peterson, author of Cooking


“Peter Reinhart is a gifted teacher who explains the science of bread dough in easy-to-understand language. Using Peter’s innovative techniques for enhancing both enzyme and yeast activity and following with his gentle, clear-cut guidance, even a beginner can master sourdough starters, pre-ferments, soakers, and mashes to make incredibly flavorful whole grain breads.”

–Shirley Corriher, author of Cookwise

About the Author

PETER REINHART is widely acknowledged as one of the world's leading authorities on bread. He is the author of six books on bread baking, including the 2008 James Beard Award-winning Whole Grain Breads; the 2002 James Beard and IACP Cookbook of the Year, The Bread Baker's Apprentice; and the 1999 James Beard Award-winning Crust and Crumb. He is a full-time baking instructor at Johnson and Wales University and the owner of Pie Town restaurant in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is the host of the popular video website, PizzaQuest.com.