Pain de Campagne-I can do it!

This was the loaf of bread (well...not this exact loaf) that got me interested in further experimenting with baking breads and baking in general. This is the 5th time I've tried this particular recipe and this is the first time it looks remotely similar to the picture in the book I'm using as my guide. It's also the first time I've achieved a light airy texture inside while maintaining a good crusty outside. Back in September, I purchased "Ultimate Bread" by Eric Treuille and Ursula Ferrigno and decided to try their recipe for Pain de Campagne-which is a classic French Sourdough Bread.

This has become one of my favorite books on baking breads. The first few chapters are devoted to the foundations of bread making, from the differant types of breads, to ingredients, utensils, how to knead, punch, roll, and shape to starting and caring for sourdoughs and so on. The information is presented in a clear, easy to understand manner and every page is filled with photographs illustrating the more difficult steps. Having this book has helped ease my anxiety over getting involved with baking, which I believe is an art in and of itself. I own many books on cooking, I adore my Julia Child and James Beard books, but I'm intimidated by them too. I have more than a casual interest in cooking, (perhaps bordering on obsession) but no real training, having this book has made me feel more confident in myself, makes me feel like I can tackle Julia and James, learn from them, be one with them and still come out with something tasty. Maybe it has nothing to do with the book but just where I am in at this stage of my cooking journey. I might have just have been ready to make the move into baking, and if that was the case then any book would have done. Whatever it was (is), it's been fun, and I can't help but notice (and be proud of) the improvements with each loaf of bread I bake. Written by Deb on January 9, 2003 04:10 PM