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I’ve finished all of Peter Mayle’s novels and non-fiction books, and have turned to Confessions of a French Baker, a little tome on French baking. Co-authored by famous Provençal baker Gerard Auzet, this book is divided into two parts. The first half of the book discusses Mayle’s relationship with the French baker and his observations of the bakery, Chez Auzet, itself. The second part of the book contains recipes for famous French breads, from the classic baguette and torpedo-shaped bâtard to loaves flavoured with Roquefort cheese, red wine, or olive oil.
Chef Auzet’s bakery is located in Cavaillon, the melon capital of France (or the world, if they have their way). When Mayle visits the bakery to see the bakers in action, he had to be there by 4am, since the first loaves hit the shelves by 6am.
Although it’s not apparent by the photos, Confessions of a French Baker is a small, almost pocket-sized guide that contains more information than its size would suggest. This winter, I started making loaves and stored them in my freezer so they wouldn’t go stale. Bread is easy to make, especially when kneaded in my stand mixer instead of by hand, but it takes a long time to wait for all the risings. I’ll make a double batch of dough and bake them on the weekend, and then slice them and store them in the freezer so that Ryan and I can enjoy a fresh slice of bread whenever we want.
Confessions of a French Baker: Breadmaking Secrets, Tips, and Recipes
What a lovely little book! Putting this on my to read this since I love all things French and baking-related!
Nice! I’ve read a few of his books, but not this one in particular. Thanks for the review!
Popping over from #2usestuesday to thank you for linking up your wonderful post with us! I hope you have a fantastic week!
Pili
I love freshly baked bread, but I’ve only tried making a few things. Was there a favorite bread that you baked?
So far I’ve just been sticking to plain white and whole wheat breads for everyday eating. But I also want to try one with cheese and nuts!
I love Peter Mayle’s novels, but have yet to read this one, I need to check it out! Thanks for sharing at What’d You Do This Weekend?!
I’d love reading this book since it’s all about food and flavors! It’s fun to read about how it inspired you to bake!
Sounds like a great book. I’ll have to see if my library carries it. I need some new reads this year. Thanks for inspiring us at my first linkup this week. Do stop in again next week.
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[…] reading Confessions of a French Baker, I’ve been baking bread for Ryan and myself. This recipe makes two large loaves. I like to […]