Murdoch Books - Bread Revolution: rise up and bake!

For too long, we have been victims of tasteless, anonymous, identically shaped, characterless, boring bread... Sliced and bagged, clone-like, forming an orderly queue on the shelves waiting to be taken home to bloat out and carb up another unsuspecting individual.

Of course, it wasnt always like this.

No other foodstuff is more deeply rooted in history and civilisation than bread. In its most basic form as flat bread made from crushed wheat bread dates back some 30,000 years. The staff of life was portioned to feed the poor, and spelt grain, which has been cultivated for over 7,000 years, is the wheat on which the Romans are said to have built their empire.

Some time ago (too long ago) the fires of the communal village ovens used to roar as village folk would sit and wait for the wild yeasts in their loaves to do their thing, for the crust to form and crackle and burst.

The communal ovens are long gone, but we can bring back real bread and make it accessible to everyone whatever your budget or lifestyle. We believe in bread thats lovingly crafted and shaped by hand, with each loaf having its own individual character. Bread that uses seasonal, locally sourced or foraged ingredients. Bread without additives, preservatives or flour treatment agents (all used by the large manufacturers wanting to make more bread, more quickly).

What were talking about is the kind of bread that puts smiles on peoples faces. This is one of the main reasons why we both gave up successful careers to start The Thoughtful Bread Company, an artisan bakery tucked away in the south-west of England. We started off small, working round the clock and thriftily scavenging everything (including the kitchen sink!) from restaurants undergoing refurbishments and bakeries up and down the country that had folded in the face of stiff competition from the supermarket giants.

Today, our award-winning bread is found in Michelin-starred restaurants, in the best delis and in childrens lunchboxes. But we still make bread much as you would do at home.

Or at least, you will do, once we have taken you on this journey. Give your loaves the time they need to develop and we guarantee that when you get the knack, they will deliver in flavour and texture, again and again.

In the first part of the book, well guide you through bread-making essentials including kneading, proving and shaping. Well also give you lots of thrifty tips about how to get kitted out with all the equipment your armoury will require. Well show you how to use the money youve saved getting hold of your kit to source the very best ingredients your budget will allow.

In the next three sections, well talk you through bread recipes both savoury and sweet and show you how to make a meal out of them. This is the concept of bread as the king of the table which simply means that if youve made the effort to bake some decent bread, then youre not far off from having a memorable meal to feed friends and family. Along the way we even divulge some tricks of the trade.

Finally well show you what to do with your leftovers. When that last slice of bread or unwanted crust is sat at those pearly white gates, well teach you how to turn it into the most heavenly of thrifty goodies. Crust to crust, we promise to reveal how every single morsel can be enjoyed youll have your bread-eating audience coming back for more again and again.

Bread-making is something we want you to take personally. The beauty of bread is that when made properly and in enough variety, there is something for all regardless of faith, personal taste or special dietary requirements. This book is for everyone for parents on a budget wanting to send their children to school with something decent to eat in their packed lunch; for students who want to make a meal from the few bits and pieces that might be lying around in the fridge; and for anyone with people to entertain or food to knock up for an impromptu picnic or before the big match kicks off.

So rise up with us against the bagged and the boring, the bland and the tasteless! The Bread Revolution is here and were waiting for you to join it.

Duncan Glendinning and Patrick Ryan of The Thoughtful Bread Company

FINDING GOOD BREAD FLOUR

The price difference between good-quality flour and the cheaper stuff is so small compared with the world of difference it will make to your bread, it really is worth paying out for. Good flour has everything to do with the protein content of the wheat. A higher protein content helps to develop more gluten during the kneading process, giving you a better-textured loaf.