The Breads of France

I just found a great book - The Breads of France and how to make them in your own kitchen by Bernard Clayton, Jr.

Larry and I relished the bread when we were in France last summer, but this author took it a step further and learned from the bakers how to make the bread at home.

It's a book from the 70s, with black and white pictures of Parisians and their bread that look like they're from the '50s. Clayton himself is an anachronism - a picture shows him kneading dough, tie neatly in place. Then putting a loaf in one of his indoor woodfire ovens, tie still crisply knotted.

I thought I would enjoy it as a quirky book, but then the recipes drew me in. Clayton really baked these loaves, using American flour and standard equipment (although he has a woodburning oven, the recipes all work in a gas or electric one), and came up with the same texture and flavor he remembered from his visit to France.

I am intrigued, and determined to bake my way through this book.

Fortunately, bread freezes well, so we won't have to eat everything I bake fresh from the oven. (The first recipe makes 4 loaves of bread.) Although we will be tempted. Does anything smell better than fresh-baked bread?

I'll let you know how it goes along the way.