Ultimate Bread

Take one French food authority and author, one Italian food authority and author, give them a subject like bread and a publisher like Britain's Dorling Kindersley, and the result can't help but be one of the more engaging books on bread and bread baking. DK Publishing is of the seeing-is-believing school of cookbooks, and this philosophy works particularly well in their Ultimate Bread. The opening plates of the world of bread are enough in and of themselves to drive anyone--beginner or expert baker--right into the kitchen.

The "Baking Essentials" section shows and explains the differences in various kinds of flour, wheat and nonwheat, as well as the basic ingredients (yeast, oil, eggs, salt--not a long list) and tools. The "Basic Techniques" section shows you exactly what dough should look like in the various stages of bread production. The photos are so thick with color you can almost touch and smell the dough.

But the majority of the book is dedicated to recipes. Here you will find Country Oatmeal Bread, French Baguettes, Pretzels, Ciabatta, Pain aux Noix, Brioche, Nan, Pita, Corn Bread, and Challah. There are dozens of breads in all, from the very basic to the festive. And finally, there's even a section devoted to problem solving--although the biggest problem you may have is deciding which recipe to start with. --Schuyler Ingle