The Sourdough Cookbook [Mass Market Paperback]

Rita Davenport (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1987

Salute to Sourdough! Enjoy the tantalizing aroma and tangy flavor of home-baked Soughdough! Create unique and natural food with nature's leavening. Rita Davenport gives you easy modern methods to make 195 delicious Sourdough breads, cookies, cakes and more. You'll be delighted with the versatility and wholesome goodness of Sourdough.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: HP Books (January 1, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0895861550
• ISBN-13: 978-0895861559
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #823,590 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars It's NOT Sourdough, July 3, 2002

By 

Michael Avery (Gunnison, CO United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Sourdough Cookbook (Mass Market Paperback)

While the book is attractive, and the recipes look interesting, the bottom line is the recipes aren't sourdough. The recipes might work, and I'm sure they are fast. But they aren't sourdough.

Sourdough starters should not be made with baker's yeast, and won't become sourdough until the baker's yeast dies off. All of Rita Davenport's starters use baker's yeast, and all of her recipes use more baker's yeast.

It isn't necessary - or desireable - to use commercial yeast in a sourdough recipe. Doing this means the baker either doesn't understand sourdough, or doesn't trust their starter.

If you are interested in REAL sourdough, don't get a copy of this 1970's home economics styled cookbook. Look instead at Ed Wood's "World Soudoughs from Antiquity" or "Classic Sourdoughs: A Home Baker's Handbook", Peter Reinhart's "The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread ", or Scott and Wing's "The Bread Builders". Another excellent resource for the budding sourdough baker is the rec.food.sourdough newsgroup.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding recipes and advice, February 8, 2000

By 

dallas (Sunnyvale, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Sourdough Cookbook (Mass Market Paperback)

I can't believe this is out of print! This book introduced me to sourdough baking, and I haven't had a recipe failure yet. The basic starter is foolproof, and the bread recipes are fantastic. The sourdough chocolate cake is both scrumptious and unique. I have been making extra-large sourdough onion-cheese sandwich buns for decades; they require no kneading, freeze beautifully, and make for show-stopping burgers. I hope the publisher reprints this cookbook--my copy is falling apart!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Some of the best recipes I've tried, September 8, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Sourdough Cookery (Paperback)

Can't believe this is out of print! My copy is very well used and I wanted to give it as gifts to friends and family again this Christmas. I use this book constantly. When I bought it the price was $4.95, that's how long ago it was. I've never had a failure with any of the recipes. The waffle and pancake recipes in many variations are outstanding. The information on how make, handle, and use sourdough starter is very good. The book is geared toward todays good cook, unlike some of the other books on the subject which tend to focus on old time recipes. Hope the publisher will reconsider.