Great Whole Grain Breads [Paperback]

Beatrice A. Ojakangas (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The crust, the texture, the aroma, the taste-a hearty whole grain bread makes the meal or, in the case of the cheese breads, blinis, or calzone that Beatrice Ojakangas serves up, becomes the meal. The seasoned baker and the passionate amateur, the connoisseur and the simply famished will find plenty to celebrate in Ojakangas's classic bread-making book.

Whether it's traditional Finnish rye, old-fashioned corn bread, scones, croissants, pretzels, or popovers, the perfect bread for any occasion can be found in this book, along with companionable advice for making it perfectly every time. For the baker with no time to spare, Ojakangas includes a large assortment of fast and easy breads.

With more than 250 sweet-and-savory recipes, easy-to-follow, step-by-step techniques for mixing and kneading, and special hints for working with whole grains, Great Whole Grain Breads should find a place in every baker's kitchen.

Beatrice Ojakangas is the author of dozens of cookbooks, including The Great Scandinavian Baking Book (1999), Scandinavian Feasts (2001), and The Great Holiday Baking Book (2001), all published by Minnesota. She has appeared on television's Baking with Julia Child and Martha Stewart's Living, and has written articles for many newspapers and magazines, including Cooking Light, Family Circle, and Bon Appetit. She lives in Duluth, Minnesota.

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: University of Minnesota Press; 1st University of Minnesota Press Ed edition (September 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0816641501
• ISBN-13: 978-0816641505
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #610,165 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

  #89 in	Books > Health, Mind & Body > Diets & Weight Loss > Special Conditions > Whole Foods
  #81 in	Books > Cooking, Food & Wine > Cooking by Ingredient > Rice & Grains

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Found some terrific recipes in here!, November 14, 2003

By	M. A. Casey "In Quest of a Good Book" (Saint Marys, PA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Great Whole Grain Breads (Paperback)

I came across this book at the public library, and I brought it home because the bread recipes looked wholesome and delicious... and because I was intrigued by the casserole bread chapter. I never saw so many recipes using that method! I tried a casserole rye/potato bread and we all thought it was delicious, and I esp. appreciated the lack of kneading it really saves on time.
This book is now in my wish list for Christmas.... I want more time to pick and choose than the library can give... there is nothing like the smell of fresh bread baking!

19 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice recipes, November 10, 2004

By	Jennifer A. Wickes "Food Writer" - See all my reviews (VINE VOICE)

This review is from: GREAT WHOLE GRAIN BREADS (A Fireside Cookbook Classic) (Paperback)

You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated.

For an excellent cookbook on how to bake scones, corn bread, croissants, pretzels, popovers, quick breads, tortillas, pizza dough or traditional loaves, then this may be the book for you! With more than 250 recipes for both sweet and savory breads, check out this book.

Beatrice Ojakangas is a chef and author to numerous cookbooks. Some titles include: "The Great Scandinavian Baking Book", "Scandinavian Feasts: Celebrating Traditions throughout the Year" and "The Great Holiday Baking Book". She has also appeared on television with Julia Child, on her television show: "Baking with Julia Child", as well as also being on Martha Stewart's Living. She has written numerous articles for newspapers and magazines including Cooking Light, Family Circle, and Bon Appetit. She lives in Duluth, Minnesota.

The recipes in this book are easy-to-follow. Ojakangas gives excellent step-by-step tips on how to mix and knead the dough and how to handle whole grains. In the introduction, there are numerous tips to help the novice cook develop a passion for baking breads. There is even a section on Flour sources, in case you are unable to locate a specific flour in your neighborhood.

The book is broken down in chapters depending on the type of breads you are looking for, including: stir-and-pour breads, no-knead casserole breads, whole wheat breads, rye breads, oat breads, barley breads, cornbreads, multiple grain breads, buckwheat breads, triticale breads, sourdough breads, coffee breads and sweet rolls, whole grain breads with fruit, whole grain breads with vegetables, cheese breads, little breads, flatbreads, quick breads and more!

Despite no color photographs in this book, there are some illustrations to help show you what to do.

The recipes all sound delicious, and my favorites are: apple-filled brioche, seven-grain bread, malted Christmas bread, English farmhouse loaf and orange-rye casserole bread.

If you are looking for an all-purpose book on baking any type of bread, then I suggest you pick this book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good if you are not seeking 100% whole grain breads, April 14, 2010

By	CMA - See all my reviews

This review is from: Great Whole Grain Breads (Paperback)

I checked out this book at the library as I had read a review stating it was a good book for those seeking to bake whole grain breads. It has many good recipes in it; however, the majority (80% in my view) is mostly bread or white flour with a smaller percentage of whole grains. I was disappointed only because I was expecting something different. I attempt not to use white flours and many of the recipes had a higher white flour content than whole grains. The Yeast raised honey cornbread is 100% whole grain and is wonderful. I enjoyed reading the book but still consider Peter Reinhart's Whole Grain Breads the benchmark. This would be an excellent book for those wishing to add some grains to their diet.