The Italian Baker, Revised: The Classic Tastes of the Italian Countryside--Its Breads, Pizza, Focaccia, Cakes, Pastries, and Cookies [A Baking Book]

(Hardback)

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The only comprehensive book, in English or Italian, to cover the entire range of Italian baking, from breadsticks andcornettito focaccia, tarts, cakes, and pastries.This latest edition, updated for a new generation of home bakers, has added four-color photography throughout, plus new recipes, ingredients and equipment sections, source guides, and weights. Carol Field introduces artisanal doughs and techniques used by generations of Italian bakers. Every city and hill town has its own unique baking traditions, and Field spent more than two years traversing Italy to capture the regional and local specialties, adapting them through rigorous testing in her own kitchen. Field's authentic recipes are a revelation for anyone seeking the true Italian experience. Here's a chance to make golden Altamura bread from Puglia, chewy porous loaves from Como, rosemary bread sprinkled with coarse sea salt, dark ryes from the north, simple breads studded with toasted walnuts, succulent fig bread, and Sicilian loaves topped with sesame seeds. One of the most revered baking books of all time,The Italian Bakeris a landmark work that continues to be a must-have for every serious baker. Winner of the International Association of Culinary Professionals Award for best baking book Named to the James Beard Baker's Dozen list of thirteen indispensable baking books of all time

Reviews

A solid collection of traditional Italian baked goodsan authentic and trusted title.
Publishers Weekly, 8/15/11

Carol Field'sThe Italian Baker is the one bread book I see in nearly everyone's collection, whether an experienced or amateur baker. It not only is full of timeless, classic recipes, but also takes you deep into the mind and heart of the Italian spirit.
Peter Reinhart, author ofThe Bread Baker's ApprenticeandPeter Reinhart's Artisan Breads Every Day

The Italian Bakerwas incredibly influential in its first iteration and this revised version is even better. Carol has taken the volume to another level in both deliciousness and simple techniques. It is truly the definitive work on Italian bread baking and pastry for our time.
Mario Batali, author and restaurateur

A classic, beautifully researched and considered book that keeps Italys traditions of bread-making alive. I love how it is peppered with astute observations and stories of Carol Fields experiences in Italy, inspiring skilled bakers and novice enthusiasts alike.
Alice Waters, chef, author, and proprietor of Chez Panisse

The Italian Bakerhas always been one of my all-time favorite baking books, and no one is happier than I am to see this brand-new edition, introducing Carol Field's classic collection of rustic breads, desserts, and biscotti to a whole new generation of cooks. If you're looking to capture the authentic flavors of Italian baking in your own kitchen, there's absolutely no better guidebook thanThe Italian Baker.
David Lebovitz, author ofReady for DessertandThe Great Book of Chocolate

Bread bakers rejoice! Theres nothing like chewy, flavorful home-baked bread and thanks to Carol Fields inspiring recipes in this updated edition of her top-selling classic, the timeless art of bread baking will become more popular than ever.
Flo Braker, author ofThe Simple Art of Perfect BakingandBaking for All Occasions

Anyone who has bitten into a ciabatta or an airy, full-of-flavor loaf with a bit of tang and a wonderfully dark crust, or mixed bread dough going by the wetter-the-better rule, has Carol Field to thank. She not only introduced the miraculous variety of Italian breads to Americans, but she also changed the way we think of bread--and the way we make it. No one who loves bread can be without this book.The Italian Bakershows that classics stay classics for a reason.
Corby Kummer, senior editor at theAtlantic Monthlyand author ofThe Pleasures of Slow Food

The original edition ofThe Italian Bakerhas been one of my culinary bibles ever since it was published in 1985. It is now splattered with stains and floury to the touch. Pasta Maddalena I noted was perfect, while the Torta Primavera, excellent, and so on. The crusty, chewyPugliesebread, wickedly rich savory croissant dough, the delicate spongy littlepanini dolcehave become constant staples in my kitchen. So celebrate with Carol Field the 'second coming' of this great book.
Diana Kennedy, author ofThe Essential Cuisines of Mexico

Bravo to Ten Speed and Carol Field for updating and reissuing this absolute treasure of Italian baking. The fact that these recipes so thoroughly cover so many baked regional specialties, such as bread, cookies, tarts and torts, savory dishes, pizza, and foccacia makes it a must-own volume for any serious home cook and baker.
Joe Ortiz, author ofThe Village Bakerand coauthor ofThe Village Baker's Wife

The Italian Bakeropened my eyes toan excitingnew world of baking.It,along with Carols early advice and encouragement, became the inspiration for adding hearth baked breads to our line-up at the originalGrand Central Bakeryin Seattle.The Italian Bakerwas a trove of information then and remains so today. This newedition,updated, reformatted, and full of delicious color photography, has meinspired all over again!
Gwen Bassetti, founder of The Grand Central Baking Company

Im thrilled to have this handsome new, updated edition, with wonderfully informative photos that show not just what the breads look like but also what goes into the process ofcreating them.The Italian Bakeris a treasure--not just for chefs but for anyone fascinated by the bakers art, for anyone beguiled by Italian food, for anyone who simply loves to cook good honest food.
Nancy Harmon Jenkins, author ofThe New Mediterranean Cookbook

Evviva!The Italian Bakerlives again! For 25 yearsCarol Field's classic has been my inseparable and invaluable guide to the world of Italian breads and pastries, furnishing the best introduction to baking in general of any book I know. Younger generations will now be able to find the same comfort and counsel, thanks to this splendid new edition.
Mary Taylor Simeti, author ofPomp and Sustenance

That an English-language book on something as essential as Italian bread could become the standard text in Italy, as the previous version did, says almost all you need to know -- except that this revised edition is even better. Anyone who really, truly cares about Italy must readThe Italian Baker.
Fred Plotkin, author ofItaly for the Gourmet Traveler

Author Bio

Carol Fieldis the author of five cookbooks, In Nonna's Kitchen, Focaccia, Italy in Small Bites, Celebrating Italy, and The Italian Baker, as well as The Hill Towns of Italy and Mangoes and Quince, a novel. She is an award-winning journalist and has contributed to Bon Appetit, Gourmet, and Food and Wine, among others. Field has won two IACP Cookbook Awards and a James Beard Award, and was featured on the PBS series "In Julia's Kitchen with Master Chefs." She lives in San Francisco with her husband and continues to visit Italy frequently.