The Sullivan Street Bakery Cookbook

July 17, 2017
New Yorkers are likely familiar with Sullivan Street Bakery, one of N.Y.C.’s best sources for terrific breads and baked goods. And Sullivan Street founder Jim Lahey’s profile got a significant boost from 2010’s My Bread, which detailed his innovative and surprisingly simple no-knead bread-making technique and inspired thousands of home bakers. Here, Lahey takes readers behind the counter to show how many of the bakery’s famous products are crafted and created, not infrequently with the same fuss-free approach that has already endeared Lahey to so many. Focusing on Italian breads, Lahey begins with the starter, the funky foundation of sourdough, used in basic loaves such as pane Toscano and Pugliese. He then moves on to must-try recipes for pizza dough and hamburger buns, as well as instructions for a no-knead brioche and croissant. Each recipe is clearly and concisely communicated, often accompanied by images of key stages or techniques in the baking process to ensure home bakers stay on track and that the finished product turns out as expected. Once the baking is done, Lahey and Joseph give readers a litany of ways to put their products to use in dishes such as apple-fennel pizza, cardamom cinnamon buns, and a chickpea fritter and tahini sandwich. The authors even offer ways for readers to repurpose their mistakes into an entirely new loaf. Those unfamiliar with Lahey’s previous work won’t be left in the dust, as this cookbook reiterates the tenets of its predecessor, condensing them and expanding their range and practicality. A terrific addition to the bread-making canon.

November 15, 2017

Lahey (My Bread), founder of New York City's Sullivan Street Bakery, is credited with popularizing a no-knead, Dutch-oven cooking method that can be used to achieve bakery-worthy loaves at home. His third cookbook, written with wife and coauthor Joseph, builds on this technique, applying it to sourdough breads naturally leavened with biga, a type of prefermentation. Home cooks who aren't ready to take on the multiday process of making the biga can start with speedier breads, savory dishes, and sweets, including egg sandwiches, apple bread pudding, kale and cauliflower salad, and flourless triple-chocolate cookies. Throughout, Lahey provides excellent instruction in an easy-to-visualize way. VERDICT A masterclass in baking with the bonus of delicious Italian-inspired foods. Highly recommended.

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