Customer Reviews

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

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Carol Field's new edition of "The Italian Baker" has been released following the first edition published 26 years ago. Some of the same deficiencies hobble use of the book that are carried over from the first version over a quarter-century ago. Field consistently uses too much yeast in most of her bread recipes and, accordingly, most dictated rising times, which vary between 1.25 hours with a couple as much as 3 hours, are too brief. Rustic breads, in particular, need long, cool rising times, often as much as 5 or more hours, with doughs that were assembled with about half to two-thirds less yeast than called for in Field's recipes. The result is confirmed by the breads made according to her directions from the new edition: the breads with short rising times suffer from inadequate flavor and aroma development. Also, Field often recommends additional warmth for doughs that will accelerate their ripening. This also detracts from flavor and aroma. Field knows this because, at points in the new book, she mentions that Italian bakers she is acquainted with use much longer rising times, and some of her recipes for rustic breads do indeed call for long rising times. My own guess is that Field accelerated rising times in many cases because she was doubtful that Americans would tolerate long, slow rising times to produce regional and rustic Italian breads. Field should take note that a well-known lady nearly 50 years ago emphasized the need to use small amounts of yeast, cool water, and long rising times when she documented for the first time how it is possible to make authentic pain ordinaire at home. That lady was Julia Child, and her recipe for "French" bread in the second volume of her famous cookbooks, "Mastering the Art of French Cooking," was a revelation to American bakers and set the gold standard for approaching the art of producing really good pain ordinaire.

And there are other problems with the new edition of the "Italian Baker." Field emphasizes the value of a moist oven for the initial oven rise of shaped rustic loaves, but it is mentioned erratically in the recipes -- sometimes it is statd, sometimes the recipes are silent.

She also has an unwarranted negative stance towards natural yeast starters. They are not so demanding as she claims, and, contrary to her argument that a pseudo-natural starter can be made by using a very tiny amount of baker's yeast, the fact is that what results is just a biga or poolish that hit its stride more slowly because of the tiny pinch of baker's yeast to start it. Baker's yeast bigas and poolishes do not smell like natural, wild yeast starters, and bread made with wild yeast starters do not taste like those made with baker's yeast.

Finally, Field seems not to have internalized the dramatic surge in interest and the rapid evolution of home artisanal baking over the last quarter-century. For example, both French and Italian bakers often use autolyse that ultimately can produce superior bread by allowing the initial mixed dough to rest for up to a half-hour, or even more, before kneading the dough and setting it to rise. Autolyse does not exist in Field's repertoire. Similarly, the popularity and proven value in the last decade and more of folding doughs one, two, or even three times during long rising periods to increase gluten development, and the use of the same technique when forming loaves, has apparently had no impact on Field's methods.

As an afterword, there is no bibliography.

I must say, I was perplexed at the authors negative attitude toward natural starters. But given the target audience for the book I can understand that bigas made with small amounts of yeast are a good substitute, and it is used throughout most of the bread recipes. What is more troubling, though, is the over yeasting and very short fermentation times. That may be what modern bakers want in a bread recipe, but it has nothing to do with classic Italian bread making. These short fermentation times will yield bland results at best. Unless you have the bread making knowledge to adapt all these recipes to longer room temperature ferments, and even better - using natural starters - you may be disappointed in the final products. I also wish there were more pictures of the final bread shapes.

The sweets and semi-sweet breads look like they may be the redeeming factor in this book. The reference alone is quite nice to have. I look forward to trying out those recipes. But for bread baking, I would suggest looking elsewhere.

I usually try to be very open-minded when a cookbook doesn't have as many pics as I'd like. I tell myself that this recipe or that recipe really doesn't need a visual. But this book has such a rich array of new breads (to me anyway) that I wish there were pics to illustrate them as I am at a loss to imagine what they might look like. That deflates the balloon to get one started many times. There is a chapter in back about baked sweets (dolci) which includes biscotti, tarts, etc., then there's a section on lots of pizzas including thick Sicilian style, soups too, but for me this book was all about the breads. I have pages tagged for Olive Oil Bread, Sicilian Bread, Rosemary Bread, Five Grain Bread with walnuts, Raisin Bread, Sweet Corn Bread, Christmas Bread of Lake Como, Venetion Holiday Bread, Christmas Bread of Verona, etc...except for a few of these listed examples, I have no idea what the others should look like. The only way you would delve into an unknown bread is by first reading the title, then the opening blurb, then reading thru the ingredient list and then the step by step instructions. Unless you are a very passionate and motivated cook or baker,you will be put off by this. A picture as they say is worth a thousand words. Here it is so true. A picture can inspire and motivate you in an instant, especially with breads that are not commonplace. When spring approaches, I will delve into the Easter breads.

What I DO like very much in the layout is the way each recipe allows you to use the method of choice. For each recipe, there are three separate clearly labelled areas to find your preferred method of creating your dough: BY HAND, BY MIXER, or BY PROCESSOR. Choose the method most comfortable to you. Then each process step is clearly italicized into sections as well with: FIRST RISE, SHAPING AND SECOND RISE, and finally, BAKING. It allows your eye to find what you're looking for quickly on the page. I also am glad that measurements are listed in cups, ounces, and grams. These recipes use active yeast exclusively, and since I use instant yeast, a forumula on p. 22 says to multiply the amt. of active yeast by 0.75-thus, using less instant yeast to active. I found this out after the fact, it helps to read. It didn't hurt the outcome I must say, using equal amts.

UPDATE: The 5-grain w/walnut bread bakes in a 9x4 loaf pan, very good. The Sweet Corn Bread and the Corn Bread from Lombardy I was not impressed with, would not make again. I wanted to make the pannetone but it was more complicated than the recipe in Artisan Bread in 5 mins, due to lack of time the necessity was to go with that one. I have other breads to try after the holidays.

UPDATE Jan 2012: Made the "pane all'uva" (raisin bread), so easy, great dough to handle, wonderful result! Soft, tender, pillowy interior, crispy crust, loaded with raisins, addictive, yum. Interestingly, that recipe was one that DID have a picture and pulled me in...which goes to my point....pictures DO help! The raisin bread and another I just made, the Bread of Puglia, are my faves so far. The Pane di Genzano was good, not a wow. After that raisin bread, I'm afraid I will not find anything as good.

I purchased the original book several years ago and loved it very much. I just recently purchased the new version that just came out. Although the new version doesn't have that many pictures, but then I can always go back to the orginal book to see what the bread/pastry look like since the old version contained line drawings of each baked goods. I am not suggesting that you should buy 2 versions of the book, but in my personal opinion, I still like the original book more. Just because the book doesn't contain alot of pictures doesn't mean that the final products is tasteless. I always baked with good result and tasty bread, pastries and cookies from the book. There is not that much changes between the 2 books. I don't regret buying the new book since there is some new information. Happy baking!!

This pretty much covers every kind of baked good and all their variants that you would find in Italy. The emphasis is on traditional so no pink-sprinkled cannoli here. In fact, there is no cannoli at all (aren't they enjoyed in rural Italy?). This isn't a criticism, considering the huge number of recipes offered, but does seem to be an obvious omission. What was disappointing is the sparse photography. An overwhelming majority of recipes do not have accompanying photos even though there is plenty of white space to accommodate them.

this book is really well put together. the recipes are very easy to follow and i have no experience. the references and history associated with the regions are also really interesting.

Ive been baking from the original version of this book since its original issuance, and in general it is usable to produce quite acceptable versions, given differences in available flours, water, etc. of the types of bread (the better kinds) one finds in Italy. The wet doughs in the book were a revelation to me.

Recipes for sweets, pizza etc are also very good and authentic.

I do concur to a degree with those critics who suggest a little less yeast, cooler temperatures and a little more time produces more characterful, flavorful bread, and practice and experience also go a long way, but simple adjustments short of laboring over developing natural yeasts will work well. For those who want to enjoy italian regional breads and are looking for reliable recipes, this book can not be beat.

I really was expecting a book where I can see the breads from Italy, and this is not. Instead I found a book with Italian sculptures and buildings and few and bad photographs from breads. I really didn't like the book.

When I buy a book from other country and from different regions of that coutry I really expect to see at least how they look like before making them. Just a small photograph will be enough, maybe 6 photographs in one page with different products will be good. Let see how the recipes are.....

I have not read the revised edition, but I have made many of the breads in the original version. They are great and I have enjoyed all except for ciabatta. I don't know why, but I have never made it correctly. I will keep trying. The rolls

are great.

We are old enough that it is time to downsize. We will buy the Kindle version of the revised version when we finally get settled. I look forward to it....tom

Wow, this book was so much more than I was expecting. I've only glanced through the pages, but its already clear to me that this will be one of my favorite cookbooks.