Customer Reviews

The Secrets of Jesuit Breadmaking

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is modest in cover, quality of paper and method of baking but it has the best practical recipes for baking that I have come across. It does not excessively embellish nor waste the reader/baker's time.

My copy is marred with the stains of various flours, doughs, and oils from all the baking that I do from this book. I am pleased to say that the book shows a greater love than all my glossier books that sit on the shelf and are simply food porn (nice pictures but substance lacking).

When you ponder the history of breadmaking, just consider the continuous creativity derived from mixing flour and water. As author Brother Rick Curry, S.J., says, "I'm reminded of the simplicity...A little flour and water and some other wholeseome ingredients make an infinte number of breads".
"The Secrets of Jesuit Breadmaking" is a delightful collection of spiritual stories and easy to understand bread recipes. Building on the mystique of the Jesuit religious order, Brother Curry kneads the spirtual life and writings of the order's founder Saint Ignatius Loyola into the recipe collection. Indeed, this colection might be particularly interesting for those curious to know more about the Jesuits without having to read a long historical account. At first, I was leary of the large number bread recipes presented because my success with breadmaking was non-existent. I thought, "Why should I buy a book about breadmaking when I've never been able to get the dough to the first rise"? Nevertheless, I wanted to try Brother Curry's recipe for Irish Soda Bread, cooked without yeast, so I purchased the book. Of course, I could have simply copied the recipe without buying the book, but my religious side thought this was being disingenuous. Now, I'm so glad I made the investment because reading the recipes is just as much fun as baking them. Many recipes do not require using yeast, a relief for my breakmaking anxiety. As I tired several different recipes, I became more confident to try at least one yeast recipe. Finally, voila, like a miracle, I actually make O'Brien's Oatmeal Bread! Obviously, I'm now a convert to Brother Curry's recipes and, of course, I intend to try several more recipes as my breakmaking skills are tested. I already have several handwritten notes in the margins of this book documenting my own experiences with the recipes. Thank you Brother Curry and and also to Brother John O'Brien, who was a "vigorous" teacher of Latin at Gonzaga Prep in Spokane Washington when Curry met him and learned his namesake Oatmeal Bread recipe. This is a good book for those needing to develop more faith in their breadmaking ability. If you are already an expert breadmaker, Curry's collection is likely to sharpen the spiritual side of your God given talents.

I always had trouble with yeast breads. Brother Curry gave me the inspiration and help I needed to make mouth-watering bread easily. His anecdotes to each recipe made this the first cookbook I ever read from cover to cover.

This is an excellent resource for those interested in learning about bread. Brother Curry is a natural teacher and does an excellent job of explaining the pitfalls and joys of each step of making bread. The recipes are hearty and delicious. There are many examples of breads from Jesuit brothers from around the world. Secrets of Jesuit Bread Making will be an instant success for anyone who is interested in the spiritual side as well as the art of bread making.

I will never forget when I stumbled upon this cookbook. It was laying on a table at the Tulsa Public Library and since I was currently interested in the Jesuits and their Cathlocism (I'm married to a New Testament major) I picked it up. I had been selling my egg bread loaves to neighbors and as a new bride, hadn't any other cookbooks than the Better Homes and Garden, thus was interested in more recipes. After reading it cover to cover, I squeezed the money out of our meager college budget, I bought this book as soon as I could afford it. I have a great deal of affection for this book as I have baked from it for over eleven years and have had nothing but success and a great deal of raves from family and friends alike on the results.

Since I always save my five stars for a book that's a good buy for the frugal at heart, I can recommend it for no other reason that it is a bargain as it is really full of useful bread recipes. For example--it covers cornbread (three kinds including Johnnycake), Irish breads, wheat breads, all sorts of rolls and buscuits, starter breads (sourdough for Dummies, trust me), potato breads and even Jewish breads! I consider this an essential book for anyone who enjoys breadmaking, even if you only use a breadmaker.

I'd like to remark on the one reviewer's disparaging of the text and his saying this book has errors: I have yet to find one and as for the text, I absolutely love it--they are short sweet asides about the history of bread in both the Catholic church and world in general. His personal asides are insightful and inspiring, my personal favorite being the story he tells about first joining the Jesuits where he was assigned to managable portions of butter for the kitchen off of a huge block that was delivered to their residence. It was a menial job, and as a youth, it made him angry, naturally, and proved very frustrating because he had to use a wire to do it. Doesn't sound like a big deal until you realize Brother Curry only has one arm! An older brother chided him and said that if he couldn't handle the butter, then he'd never move on to greater things. A wonderful lesson that's stuck in my head--cut the butter first with whatever you're given!

And if that's not a good enough review to get you to buy the book, I'd like to point out that the profits from this book go to support Brother Curry's work with the handicapped: he runs a full-fledged bakery in New York for people with handicaps in order to teach them a trade, and also runs The National Theater Workshop for the Handicapped as well--so resist the urge to buy it used! Buy this book--you won't regret it as a baker and you certainly won't mind the good karma. (Catholic karma, at that!)

I bought the companion book, "The Secrets of Jesuit Soupmaking: A Year of Our Soups" and was really knocked out by the tone and style of that book. So, naturally I tried "The Secrets of Jesuit Breadmaking" and I found it to be the perfect complement to the former title. There is something decidedly refrshing about a book that combines the concepts of faith and baking. Anybody who's spent a day in the kitchen making bread from scratch will attest that it can be a somewhat spiritual event.

If bread is the staff of life, then "The Secrets of Jesuit Breadmaking" is a superb introduction to the art. Highly recommended.

As an atheist I was wary of this book, but I actually enjoyed reading Curry's stories and Jesuit histories. The recipies are fantastic - well written and all have been successful so far. The only complaint I have is that the font in the recipies is too small, especially the fractions! Great book, great author.

This is one great book! Brother Curry's meditations and sidebar notes about life as a Jesuit, prayer, and lives of several saints are great reading in themselves. It is also an excellent introduction to the gentle art of breadmaking, and full of great bread recipes! Be sure to read his introduction, especially the section on "making bread"!

The combination of Jesuit Brother and Bread is an unusual one on the surface but reading Brother Curry's book, you realise what a key role communal eating plays in the life of the Church.

Even if the closest to religion you have ever been is walking past a Nativity scene in a mall, the stories of Jesuit life are inspiring.

The recipes are simple to follow (no six day starters or special equipment here!) and are delicious. The seasonal breads are a perfect for presents or greedy home consumption!

I really enjoy the variety of breads in this book, as well as the jesuit explanations and histories within. I have not had any trouble with the receipes I have worked with, but have had many compliments.

It is easy to spend $1.99 on a loaf from the store, but it is more of a "giving of yourself" to do the extra work for the delight of those who enjoy your efforts. This book helps feed that deeper connection to the art baking bread.

I copy (don't sue me) snippets of Brother Curry's stories when I send along a gift made from this book. Again, it makes an already wonderful receipe that much more meaningful.