W

2010 Top Ten Bread Bakers

in America

For the fi rst time, Dessert Professional has delved deeply into the world of artisan bread to name the Top Ten Bread Bakers in America. This group of distinguished bakers has mastered the art and technique of creating the perfect loaf—that elusive combination of fl avor, texture and appearance. Though their backgrounds and approaches to baking may differ, one characteristic was common to all the bakers on our list: their willingness to share recipes and information and to teach others about their craft, with the goal of improving the quality of bread in America. Following is a short profi le of each of our Top Ten Bread Bakers in America, as well as recipes. We also include a profi le of Tom McMahon, our fi rst honoree for the Bread Bakers’ Hall of Fame.

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Business profi le: Panera Bread is a bakery café concept that is deeply rooted in the passion for great bread.

How it all began: I began baking bread informally at home at my mother’s side and professionally when I was 17 in a bakery.

What are you trying to do differently? We are committed to staying grounded in the fundamentals of quality bread making. In a world where new technologies and ingredient additives promises better quality and time-saving measures, sticking to the fundamentals is ‘different’.

How many types of bread do you make? Nearly 40 different varieties, shapes and sizes.

Favorite type of bread to make: Whole grain loaves with starters and soakers.

Favorite bread to eat: The perfect baguette.

Bread philosophy: Making bread is the best medium for learning,

not only due to the fermentation and ingredient complexities, but because you will always have tomorrow to make it better.

Signature products: The Asiago Bread and Bagels are examples of trend setting and lustful breads. Our French baguette (when executed well) is awesome!

Best compliment you’ve ever received about your bread: An empty bread basket.

Best part of the bread business: The most fascinating part of the business (and often most frustrating), is fi guring

out the delicate balance between what I like in a bread and what the customer will put their money down for. Those two entities often confl ict.

If you weren’t making bread, what would you be doing? Fishing, even if it didn’t pay.

If you had to characterize yourself as a type of bread, what would you be? A straight, lean dough with minimal complexity, properly proofed and well baked. Because, simplicity in life and bread yields the best results.

What’s next? Getting a loaf of bread in every arm.

What direction do you see the bread baking industry heading? Clearly, new technologies and high quality are beginning to connect for many bread makers. The realities are that we are a long way off from excellence. With mounting pressures around labor and ingredients, more creative solutions will percolate up. Having great bakers in leadership positions will ensure a future for quality breads and baked goods.

Tom GumpelPanera Bread

Owner: Publicly held6710 Clayton Road,

Richmond Heights, MO845.264.1564

www.panerabread.com

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French Baguette with PoolishPoolish:.07 oz/1.7 g dry yeast (.1% bp)4 lb/1.814 kg bread fl our (100% bp)4 lb/1.814 kg water (100% bp)

Combine dry yeast with fl our; add water and mix by hand until well blended. Allow to ferment 12-16 hours at 70°F. Poolish is ready when it has domed slightly on top and it just begins to recede.

Final dough: 8 lb/3.630 kg Poolish (124.8% bp) 8 lb/3.629 kg bread fl our (100% bp)4 lb/1.814 kg water (50% bp) .9 oz/25.4 g dry yeast (red) (.7% bp)3.8 oz/108 g salt (2.96% bp)

1. Combine Poolish with remaining ingredients. Mix at fi rst speed for 6 minutes, then second speed for 2 minutes. 2. Allow to ferment for 25 minutes. Fold over and allow to ferment for 35 minutes more. 3. Divide dough into 15 oz/425 g pieces. Gently pre-shape into cylinders. Rest for 30 minutes. 4. Shape into baguettes with pointed ends. 5. Preheat oven to 440°F. Score three times, overlapping, down center of baguette. Pre-steam oven for 10 seconds. Place baguettes in oven. Use extra steam, if needed. Vent oven after 15 minutes. Bake for 20-22 minutes in total.

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Business profi le: We are a big little bakery, with eight full time bakers, one part-time baker, and one extern, and we make a full array of breads and pastries from scratch. About two-thirds of our production sells at the King Arthur retail store, and the rest goes to our wholesale customers. We have intentionally kept our wholesale deliveries very local for environmental reasons, and we are fortunate that we can generate one-third of our gross sales with a 12 mile daily delivery route. When did you fi rst start making bread? My fi rst baking job began at 6 AM Wednesday morning, September 1, 1976. What are you trying to do differently? I’m still trying each day to perfect the products and techniques that were developed hundreds of years ago by our baking forbearers.

How many types of bread do you make? Over the course of the week, we make about 24 different kinds of breads, some each day, and others once or twice each week. We are certifi ed organic, and about one-third of our breads are organic. Favorite type of bread to make: I enjoy the individual characteristics of different breads, and the fact that each has subtle needs that differentiate it from other breads. I don’t really have one favorite type of bread that I make. I don’t believe I will ever tire of the wonderful act of making bread. Favorite bread to eat: I enjoy breads made with 100% rye fl our, 100% white fl our, and most everything in between. My favorite breads to eat are those that are made with skill and care.

Bread philosophy: Bread creates a space for sharing, and although it no longer contributes the same caloric and nutritive value that it formerly did (since people eat less bread now than in years past), bread remains an immensely important part of our collective diet. I believe that bread bakers are true public servants, and as such are important members of their community and of society as a whole. Signature products: Nougat Montélimar and Panforte, made with honey from my honeybees, have been well-received at holiday times for many years. Best compliment you ever got about your bread: Years ago when I owned a bakery in Brattleboro, Vermont, a woman left me a crumpled note that said “Mr. Hamelman, your bread has saved my life. Thank you.” It was anonymous and I never knew who wrote it.

Best part of the bread business: Providing nourishment and pleasure to people of all ages. If you weren’t making bread, what would you be doing? I am a baker. It’s what I am. When the shoe fi ts, the foot is forgotten.

If you had to characterize yourself as a type of bread, what would you be? I was invited to a Halloween party once, where you had to dress up as your ultimate fantasy. I came dressed as a loaf of rye bread! What’s next? I’d like to develop a program that enables young bakers to work at different bakeries in North America and overseas, so that our collective baking expertise increases. What direction do you see the bread baking industry heading? Today’s baking world is fi lled with many positive signs. There are so many more competent bakers now than there were when I began. Bakers tend to be very open and generous with their knowledge, and this is helping the overall evolution of our trade. And initiatives to bake with locally-grown grains are becoming a national phenomenon, which is quite a signifi cant and positive change.

Jeffrey HamelmanThe King Arthur Flour Bakery

Owners: The employees of the King Arthur Flour Company

135 US Route 5 South, Norwich, Vermont 05055802-526-1870

www.kingarthurfl our.com

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Flax Seed RyeDough Yield: 20.161 kg

Sourdough: 8.8 lb/4 kg whole rye fl our (100% bp)7.3 lb/3.320 kg water (83% bp)14.1 oz/400 g culture (10% bp)

Approximately 16 hours before the mix, disperse the sourdough culture into the water, add the rye fl our and mix till smooth. Cover with plastic and leave at room temperature to ripen.

Soaker: 2.2 lb/1 kg fl ax seed (100% bp)28.2 oz/800 g old bread (79.8% bp)*6.6 lb/3 kg water (300% bp)

*Note: Any hearty whole grain loaf can be used.

Make the soaker by pouring the water over the old bread and fl ax seeds. Cover the soaker with plastic to prevent evaporation.

Final dough: 13.2 lb/6 kg Sir Galahad fl our3.76 lb/1.71 kg water7 oz/200 g salt4.6 oz/130 g yeast16.1 lb/7.32 kg sourdough10.56 lb/4.8 kg soaker

1. Mix the fi nal dough by adding all the ingredients to the mixer (fi rst remove a portion of the rye to perpetuate the culture). If using a spiral mixer, mix on fi rst speed for 3 minutes to incorporate ingredients. Check the hydration and correct as necessary: the dough should have a moderate looseness. Mix on second speed for about 4 minutes. Gluten development will be moderate. Desired dough temperature: 76-78°F. Bulk fermentation: 1 hour. 2. Divide and shape round or oval loaves of desired weight. Final proof: 50-60 minutes. Bake in a steamed oven at 450°F for about 36-40 minutes (for a .68 kg loaf).

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Business profi le: Breadhitz strives to inform and educate both amateur and professional artisan bread bakers through our instructional DVDs, books, workshops, and consulting.

How it all began: My fi rst memories of bread baking are from grade school. Our class grew a small plot of wheat which was then harvested and brought to a local miller to have it ground into fl our. From that fl our we made our own loaves of bread and I suppose that moment marked the start of my bread education. However, it was many years later that I began baking in a professional setting during my apprenticeship in Switzerland in 1991.

What are you trying to do differently? I am constantly concerned that my bread looks as good as it tastes, so I like to experiment with decorative shaping and other bread techniques that can set my loaves apart.

How many types of bread do you make? Since my work does not revolve around a production schedule, I am free to bake a wide range of artisan breads and breakfast pastries, from whole grain breads to sourdoughs to laminated products and everything in between. Too many to count!

Favorite type of bread to make: It might not actually be my favorite to make, but the bread which I respect the most and keeps me humble is the classic French baguette. It takes a lot of experience and skill for a baker to combine the simplest of ingredients and turn them into perfectly shaped baguettes that are full of fl avor. In my opinion, it’s the ultimate test of a baker – a test that I am constantly taking as I strive for the “perfect bake”.

Favorite bread to eat: That depends on my mood and the time of day. I like to eat baguette with some good cheese, European butter, and a glass of red wine. I like to eat most any type of rye bread, either with cured meats or butter and raspberry jam (childhood calling again). For breakfast, I like to enjoy a true morning classic: a bagel with cream cheese (and lox!).

Bread philosophy: To sum it up into one phrase: nothing beats long, slow fermentation.

Signature products: I suppose most people would say that my decorative

bread work initially helped me to gain recognition in the fi eld and industry. Along the way I have become very comfortable with the artisan side of baking and I truly enjoy the challenge of working with long and slow fermented doughs. In a perfect bread, I try to marry beauty with taste.

Best compliment you’ve ever received about your bread: While it’s nice to hear that people love a bread you make, I think the ultimate compliment as an educator is when a former student comes to me with stories about how well their bread is received by their own customers. Of course it always feels good when your own family loves your bread!

Best part of the bread business: The bread business has been around for thousands of years, so job security might be one of them. All kidding aside, I think that bakers are generally a very relaxed and generous group of people who enjoy their craft and like to share their knowledge. I learn so much from my fellow bakers and I am lucky to have so many great colleagues.

If you weren’t making bread, what would you be doing? I think I would either be a pastry chef or a ceramic artist.

If you had to characterize yourself as a type of bread, what would you be? I make a multi-grain rustic loaf with hazelnuts (I call it ‘Totally Toasted Hazelnut Bread’). I think that would be me: a little nutty with a twist of Swiss fl avor.

What’s next? I might write another book in the future (to follow up the fi rst two). My wife and I are also hoping to set up a small classroom on our farm to teach baking workshops. Other than that, I like the fact that life has a way of keeping things fresh. I can’t wait to see what’s around the bend!

What direction do you see the bread baking industry heading? Good bread in America is here to stay. Every quality artisan bakery not only serves as an ambassador of good bread, but also fi lls an educational role, too. People are learning more about the qualities of good bread and as this trend continues (which I believe it will), the need for skilled artisan bakers will grow.

Ciril HitzBreadhitz

Owner: Ciril Hitzwww.breadhitz.com

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Country SourFinal weight: 15 lb, 6.9 oz/7 kg2.64 kg/5 lb, 13.1oz bread fl our (90.1% bp)10.4 oz/295 g medium rye or whole rye fl our (.9% bp)4 lb, 13.6 oz/2.2-2.4 kg water (96°F) (74.9% bp)2.3 oz/66 g salt (2.2% bp).14 oz/4 g SAF yeast (13% bp)3 lb, 11 oz/1.675 kg white starter 60% (57% bp)1.4 oz/40 g fresh chopped rosemary (optional) (1.3% bp)

1. Mix all of the above ingredients on fi rst speed for 4 minutes.2. Mix on second speed for 1 minute.3. Bulk ferment for 45 minutes, then give one stretch and fold.4. Bulk ferment for an additional 45 minutes.5. Divide into 500 g increments and work like a baguette as a pre-shape. Let rest for 20-30 minutes.6. Rework into very long baguette and roll into opposite directions creating an “S” and place on a couche that has been fl oured.7. Proof for 60 to 75 minutes.8. Bake at 480º F for 30-35 minutes.9. Open the door with 5 minutes to go to build a crust.

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Business profi le: Trying to give meaning to bread.

How it all began: When I was 16 I made bagels and fried cannoli shells in Long Island.

What are you trying to do differently? Show how bread is important by distinguishing ourselves through carefully executed culinary activity.

Favorite type of bread to make: Hands down, the Bianca or anything naturally leavened.

Bread philosophy: Less is best.

Signature products: Pizza Bianca or fi lone, for sure, or almost anything that looks almost burnt.

Best compliment you’ve ever received about your bread: I’ve received so many that they’ve blended into some meaningless blob of goodness.

Best part of the bread business: Making it all work.

If you weren’t making bread, what would you be doing? Playing with my kids.

If you had to characterize yourself as a type of bread, what would you be? A really burnt fi lone. Rough and crusty on the outside and moist and chewy on the inside. But, somehow, when you chew me up it all makes sense – malty, bitter, moist, chewy, warm, pleasant, fl aky, crunchy as well as satisfying and nourishing.

What’s next? A new book on baking.

What direction do you see the bread baking industry heading? It’s still rather industrial, I suppose. I think that artisan bread as a concept or selling point is bland and useless and ultimately defeatist if the bread that one makes sucks, and the vast majority does. I’d like to see micro-bakeries succeed, where industry falls short; quality.

Jim LaheySullivan Street Bakery

Owner: Jim Lahey533 W 47th St

New York, NY 10036212-265-5580

www.sullivanstreetbakery.com

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Pane Integrale: Whole Wheat Bread

Yield: One 10-inch round loaf; 1 ¾ poundsEquipment: A 4 ¾ to 5 ¾ quart heavy pot10.6 oz/300 g bread fl our3.5 oz/100 g whole wheat fl our1 ¼ tsp/8 g table salt½ tsp/2 g instant or other active yeast10.6 oz/300 g cool water (55-65°F)Wheat bran, cornmeal or fl our for dusting

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the fl ours, salt, and yeast. Add the water and using a wooden spoon or your hand, mix until you have a wet, sticky dough, about 30 seconds. Cover the bowl and let sit at room temperature until the surface is dotted with bubbles and the dough is more than doubled in size, 12 to 18 hours.2. When the fi rst rise is complete, generously dust a work surface with fl our. Use a bowl scraper or rubber spatula to scrape the dough out of the bowl in one piece. Using lightly

fl oured hands or a bowl scrapper or spatula, lift the edges of the dough in towards the center. Nudge and tuck in the edges of the dough to make it round.3. Place a tea towel on your work surface and generously dust it with wheat bran, cornmeal, or fl our. Gently place the dough on the towel, seam side down. If the dough is tacky, dust the top lightly with wheat bran, cornmeal, or fl our. Fold the ends of the tea towel loosely over the dough to cover it and place it in a warm, draft-free spot to rise for 1 to 2 hours. The dough is ready when it is almost doubled. If you gently poke it with your fi nger, it should hold the impression. If it springs back, let it rise for another 15 minutes.4. Half an hour before the end of the second rise, preheat the oven to 475 degrees F, with a rack positioned in the lower third, and place a covered 4½ to 5½ quart heavy pot in the center of the rack.5. Using pot holders, carefully remove the preheated pot from the oven and uncover it. Unfold the tea towel and quickly but gently invert the dough into the pot, seam side up. (Use caution- the pot will be very hot.) Cover the pot and bake for 30 minutes.Remove the lid and continue baking until the bread is a deep chestnut color but not burnt, 15 to 30 minutes more. Use a heatproof spatula or pot holders to carefully lift the bread out of the pot and place it on a rack to cool thoroughly.

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Business profi le: Bread Alone is a dynamic and interesting business where our primary goal is baking organic whole grain breads that are shipped to hundreds of people and places in the New York Metropolitan area. But, Bread Alone is also a diverse business; in addition to our hearth-baked breads, we also make cookies and cakes using locally grown fruits as well as fl aky croissants and rich chocolate tortes that we serve in our cafes, located in Woodstock, Rhinebeck and at the main bakery in Boiceville. We are also a central fi gure in the many farmers’ markets that we attend in the Hudson Valley and New York City area, and over the past several years, we have published three baking books; Bread Alone, Local Breads, Panini Express and the upcoming Simply Breads.

How it all began: In college, I was devoted to the Tassahara Bread Book and I wowed my friends with fresh, hot bread that was probably overbaked and underproofed, but made with the passion of youth and thus what may have been an ordinary loaf was elevated to the makings of a counter cultural movement towards all things ‘natural’.

What are you trying to do differently? After so many years of baking, I have found that it is very important to keep things fresh! That is not a silly baker’s joke, I really have found that I need to remember every day to approach the dough, the production, the staff and the café with a new eye and not get caught up in old, bad habits. I am constantly looking out for a more effi cient way of doing each task and for baked items that I didn’t think to include in the long line of breads that we bake.

How many types of bread do you make? We are currently baking 23 different types.

Favorite type of bread to make: I continue to be intrigued by levain. The whole wheat sourdough seems to maintain its woodsy seduction throughout the entire baking process, leaving a loaf of bread that is impossibly light and moist. Sometimes, as I walk around the back of the bakery, I can just get a whiff of the levain coming out of the oven and it remains distinct among all the familiar smells. It never fails to bring a smile.

Favorite bread to eat: Same. Oh, I’ve had my dalliances with the baguette, it’s crisp crust and holey interior being amongst the superior experiences of the world. But when it comes down to it, and I get home from a long day of baking, or traveling, I’m always happy to cut a slice of levain, spread some grainy mustard and a sharp piece of New York cheddar on it and sit by the garden enjoying life!

Bread philosophy: Bread should be enjoyed. For a while we used the tagline ‘Break Bread – Make Peace’, and people really liked the message. It really speaks to the reason that I began baking and why I continue to enjoy what I do. Everyone can relate to bread and nearly everyone who comes to my shop has a story to tell about why they like a particular loaf or how this loaf is the same as or different from the loaf that their German/Polish/Jewish/Irish/French/Italian or South African mother/grandmother used to make! I listen with interest and amusement and wonder to myself how many variations of this have I heard? How many variations are there? It’s endless and always fascinating.

Signature products: Our French Sourdough (levain) and our Whole Wheat Sourdough (miche).

Best compliment you’ve ever received about your bread: By far the most wonderful compliment is also one of the saddest, “This is better than my grandmother’s,” or “My grandmother would have loved this bread.”

Best part of the bread business: After a long trip away, pulling up to the bakery, opening the car door and being able to smell the bread baking. Like all thing familiar, you stop noticing the smell when you are around it day after day.

What’s next? I am focusing ever increasingly on the quality of each loaf. In a busy artisan bakery it is easy to let your attention to each loaf slip a little bit each day. I am always on the lookout for ways to help my staff stay attentive to the details.

What direction do you see the bread baking industry heading? Perhaps there will be growth both in the industrial baking industry with some of the new technology that I see at the international baking shows and yet also I believe there will be growth in the owner-operated artisan bakeries. Buying ‘local’ has become more than a buzz word, it has become an important decision making tool for many communities. We are servicing many public schools in our area and that was something unheard of only a few years ago. But the parents have pressured their school boards to attend to the cafeteria menu and so the kitchen managers have created bid-lists that make it possible for an artisan bakery to compete with institutional bakeries whose items are shipped interstate and frozen.

Daniel LeaderBread Alone Bakery

Owners: Daniel Leader and Sharon Burns-Leader

3962 Route 28, Boiceville, NY 12412

845-657-3328www.breadalone.com

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Apple Cider BreadApple cider levain (mix 8-12 hours before fi nal dough):3.56 oz/101 g organic bread fl our 3.2 oz/91 g water 1.48 oz/42 g apple cider .7 oz/20 g liquid levain (52%)

Combine all ingredients and mix on low speed until smooth dough forms. Place the dough in a clean 1-quart container and cover it. Let the apple cider levain stand to ferment at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours. It may have already risen and begun to defl ate and it will be riddled with air pockets.

Final dough:17.6 oz/500 g organic bread fl our 6.6 oz/188 g water 6.6 oz/188 g apple cider 8.9 oz/254 g Apple Cider Levain (from above).45 oz/13 g sea salt 1.9 oz/55 g cranberries

1. Mix together the fl our, water and cider and until a smooth dough forms. Allow to sit 20 minutes (autolyse). 2. Add Apple Cider Levain and salt. Mix on low 2 minutes to incorporate levain. Increase the speed to medium and knead for 7 to 8 minutes, until the dough is smooth and very elastic. Add the cranberries and blend until fully incorporated.3. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled, clear 2-quart container with a lid. With masking tape, mark the container at the level the dough will reach when it has doubled in volume. Cover and leave it to rise at room temperature (70 – 75°F) for 1 hour. It will infl ate only slightly.4. Scrape the dough out onto a lightly fl oured counter. With fl oured hands, lift the top edge of the dough and fold it so that it lands in the center of the mass. Lift the bottom edge and fold it so that it meets the top. In one fl uid motion, slide both hands underneath the dough, turn it over so the fold is underneath, and slip it back into the container. Cover the dough and let it rise until it expands into a dome twice its original size,

reaching the masking-tape mark, 2 to 3 hours. It will feel fi rm but springy and less sticky.5. Heavily dust a banneton or a colander lined with kitchen towel with fl our. Turn the dough onto a lightly fl oured countertop. Flour your hands and shape it into a round by tucking the edges of the dough underneath the bulk, as if you are making a bed, to shape a rough round. Place your hands on either side of the round and move them in tight circles as you pull the dough toward you. If the dough sticks to the counter, lightly dust the counter with fl our again. These simultaneous movements will pull any rough bits under the ball and create a taut “skin” around it. Don’t worry about making it perfectly round, but be sure to pinch the bottom edges to seal. Place the round, pinched side up, in the banneton or colander, dust it

with fl our and cover loosely with plastic wrap.6. Let the dough stand at room temperature until it is pillowy and has doubled in size, 2-3 hours. When you press your fi ngertip into the dough, the indentations will spring back slowly.7. About 1 hour before baking, place a baking stone on the middle rack of the oven and a cast-iron skillet on the lower rack. Preheat the oven to 470°F. 8. Line a baker’s peel or rimless baking sheet with parchment paper. Uncover the loaf and tip it out onto the peel or sheet, guiding it with one hand for a soft landing. With a single-edged razor blade or serrated knife, make 4 straight slashes about 1 inch from the edge to form a square-shaped frame. Do not connect the score marks or the crust will rupture where they intersect.

9. Slide the loaf onto a baking stone. Place ¾ cup of ice cubes in the skillet to produce

steam. Bake until the crust is walnut brown, 40 – 50 minutes. A large loaf like this needs to be fully baked, especially if you

want a good crust, so don’t hesitate to add an extra few minutes of baking time if necessary.10. Slide the peel or the rimless baking sheet under the parchment paper to remove the loaf from the oven slide the loaf, still on the parchment, onto a wire rack. Cool the loaf completely, about 2 hours, before slicing. To serve, halve the loaf, then cut slices from each half. Store it cut side down on a plate or cutting board.

9. Slide the loaf onto a baking stone. Place ¾ cup of ice cubes in the skillet to produce

steam. Bake until the crust is walnut brown, 40 – 50 minutes.

8.9 oz/254 g Apple Cider Levain (from

1. Mix together the fl our, water and cider and until a smooth dough forms. Allow to

2. Add Apple Cider Levain and salt. Mix on low 2 minutes to incorporate levain. Increase the speed to medium and knead for 7 to 8 minutes, until the dough is smooth and very elastic. Add the cranberries and

3. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled, clear 2-quart container with a lid. With masking tape, mark the container at the level the dough will reach when it has doubled in volume. Cover and leave it to rise at room temperature (70 – 75°F) for 1

want a good crust, so don’t hesitate to add an extra few minutes

Cutting mixed grain loaves.

Levain loaves with ovens being fi red.

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Busniess profi le: Uptown Bakers is a wholesale bakery specialized in the production of artisan breads and traditional breakfast pastries delivering products to the Mid-Atlantic region. Red Brick Consulting is a consulting company that helps bakeries of any size around the world in all aspects of baking. Red Brick Consulting also assists baking schools worldwide in teaching artisan bread baking knowledge to students.

When did you fi rst start making bread? I started baking bread 25 years ago in France. I apprenticed in the Southwest of France (Toulouse area), then went to work for Club Med in several hotels around the world. After a few years, I went back to France to get a Master Baker’s degree at the Institut National de la Boulangerie Pâtisserie. I then came to the U.S. and worked successively for Bay State Milling Company, the National Baking Center, the San Francisco Baking Institute and Uptown Bakers.

What are you trying to do differently? Set up processes that respect the integrity of the dough and that can be applied to large production without penalizing the fi nal product. This involves ingredients and equipment selection, but also the training of the bakers.

How many types of bread do you make? Currently we are mixing about 30 different types of daily. Each dough is then used to produce different products of different shapes and weights.

Favorite type of bread to make: Baguette, because it is the most simple, traditional, but yet the most challenging bread to make. Everything must be right, from the type of fl our, to the mixing and fermentation of the dough, the shaping, and fi nally the baking.

Favorite bread to eat: Baguette and ciabatta, because their subtle and complex fl avor can accommodate and be combined with any type of food.

Bread philosophy: Keep it simple and genuine. Respect the quality of the product.

Signature products: Miches. It is baked with respect to the tradition, using a combination of fl ours and several preferments.

Best compliment you’ve ever received about your bread: “It is like it used to be in the good old days.”

Best part of the bread business: Working with so very little and such simple ingredients and creating such a complex fi nal product in conditions that can change daily.

If you weren’t making bread, what would you be doing? Probably traveling and discovering new cultures and their culinary traditions.

If you had to characterize yourself as a type of bread, what would you be? Probably a baguette, very simple, authentic and that can go along with a lot of things.

What direction do you see the bread baking industry heading? Going back to more traditional breads, but also getting more and more into the technicality of the nutritional functions of bread.

What’s next? To keep on enjoying baking, teaching and consulting around the world.

Uptown Bakers is a wholesale bakery specialized in the production of artisan breads and traditional breakfast pastries delivering products to the Mid-Atlantic region. Red Brick Consulting is a consulting company that helps bakeries of any size around the world in all aspects of baking. Red Brick Consulting also assists baking schools worldwide in

I started baking bread 25 years ago in France. I apprenticed in the Southwest of France (Toulouse area), then went to work for Club Med in several hotels around the world. After a few years, I went back to France to get a Master Baker’s degree at the Institut National de la Boulangerie Pâtisserie. I then came to the U.S. and worked successively for Bay State Milling Company, the National Baking Center, the San Francisco Baking Institute and Uptown

Set up processes that respect the integrity of the dough and that can be applied to large production without penalizing the fi nal product. This involves ingredients and equipment selection, but also the

Didier RosadaUptown Bakers/Red Brick

ConsultingOwners: Mike Mc Cloud

and Didier Rosada5335 Kilmer Place,

Hyattsville, MD, 20781301-864-1500

www.uptownbakers.com

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Baguette with Wheat GermNote: percentage following amount is the baker’s percentage.

Yield: 65 baguettes

Sponge:6.366 lb/2.888 kg bread fl our (80%) 25.46 oz/722 g fi ne whole wheat (20%)4.2 lb/1.906 kg water (66%).1 oz/3 g salt (.1%).1 oz/3 g dry instant yeast (.1%)Total = 6 kg (166.2%)

Mix until all the ingredients are combined. Do not overmix. Allow to ferment 10 to 12 hours at room temperature (70°-75°F).

Dough: 20.94 lb/9.5 kg bread fl our (95%)

17.6 oz/500 g fi ne whole wheat (5%)15.432 lb/7 kg water (70%)9.5 oz/270 g salt (2.7%).88 oz/25 g dry instant yeast (.3%) 17.6 oz/500 g toasted wheat germ (5%)1.76 oz/50 g malt (.05%)13.2 lb/6 kg sponge (60%)Total = 23.845 kg (238.45%)

1. Using spiral mixer, mix ingredients for 5 minutes to medium-soft consitency. For second mixing, mix to improved mix. Ferment for 2 hours (73°F).2. Divide into 350 g portions. Roll portions into rectangles and let rest for 30 minutes. 3. Shape each portion into baguette and let proof for 1 hour seam-up on a fl our-dusted linen. 4. Score baguettes with criss-cross. Bake with steam at 460°F for 22 minutes.

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Busniess profi le: Amy’s Bread is a neighborhood bakery in the middle of a big city. Although our staff and production have grown, we still feel like a small, local gathering place. You can come in and enjoy great bread, delicious morning pastries, sandwiches, cakes and other sweets, but we’re still a bread bakery at heart.

How it all began: I made my fi rst loaf when I was 13, but didn’t bake a substantial amount of bread until 1989 when I started to study bread baking.

What are you trying to do differently? I am really focused on making sure we have a great workplace for our employees. We take good care of our staff, and at last count, 24 our bakers have stayed for between 9 and 18 years! These long-term bakers help supervise the daily production and ensure that the quality of the bread is the best it can be every day. They take great pride in their work and (mostly) enjoy working behind the large glass windows in Chelsea Market where everyone can watch us making our products. The glass storefront keeps us on our toes!

How many types of bread do you make? We mix 25 different kinds of dough each day, and each one is made into 2-5 different products, so our selection is vast!

Favorite type of bread to make: I usually like to make wet, sticky dough like Rustic Italian because it looks like it will never come together, and then, voila! It fi nally takes shape and becomes gorgeous, holey bread. Favorite bread to eat: I love grainy breads. My current favorite (this changes regularly) is my new Peasant Wheat with Toasted Seeds Roll, a mild whole wheat bread with pumpkin, sunfl ower, fl ax and sesame seeds inside, and a toasty coating of the same seeds and a bit of sea salt on the outside. It’s crunchy, chewy, nutty, toasty, and delicious.

Bread philosophy: From simple to complex, good bread starts with well chosen fl our, a perfectly fermented starter, plenty of water, and the right balance of salt and other ingredients. Given ample fl oor time at a moderate temperature, the bread dough develops the complex aromas and fl avors ready to be released from this fermenting mixture. An intuitive baker and a good oven are the other ingredients that make good bread.

Signature products: The bread we are best known for is Semolina with Golden Raisins and Fennel. Our Black Olive Twists and Chocolate Sourdough Twists are also very unique and have many fans.

Best compliment you’ve ever received about your bread: French people telling me that my bread is better than their favorite bread in France. (French tourists fl ock to my bakery because we are raved about in their guide books!)

Best part of the bread business: Bread bakers are interesting characters. They are hard working, a bit crazy, and usually quite willing to share ideas and secrets with their colleagues and competitors. I really love the camaraderie among bakers and their openness with each other. It’s a very unique business that allows this kind of connection and admiration among people that compete with each other in the industry.

If you weren’t making bread, what would you be doing? Lately I have had a chance to do some gardening and have really enjoyed it, so I think I would be a vegetable and fl ower gardener if I weren’t baking. Gardening reminds me of bread baking: It’s hard work, it takes lots of endurance to get all the work done, you need to work with your hands and stand on your feet for long periods of time, there is a lot of heavy lifting, it’s hot work on a summer day (like standing in front of the bread oven), and the end result is very gratifying.

If you had to characterize yourself as a type of bread, what would you be? I would be a Whole Wheat Walnut loaf. I am glossy deep brown (that’s the dark hair), crunchy (that’s the protective exterior that helps me run a bakery), grainy and healthy (interested in healthful eating), slightly sweet (from a dab of honey) and a little nutty.

What’s next? We need more space. So I guess that means growing into a bigger bakery one of these days! Where and when is still to be seen.

What direction do you see the bread baking industry heading? These are some trends that I have seen recently: People still love bread, but they also love sugar. Bakeries today must provide customers with more than bread. If they have retail stores, they are expected to offer sweets, sandwiches, beverages—a full range of products besides bread. As much as people talk about whole grain breads, white breads like the baguette still outsell all others by a large margin. We get lots of requests for breads for special diets like gluten free, wheat free, etc. Restaurants have cut back on their bread baskets or have stopped offering bread in the more casual concepts. Bread is here to stay, but expect to see fewer or simpler bread baskets in restaurants, and bakeries with 5 or 6 kinds of bread to offer, and a huge case full of sweets to keep their customers happy!

Amy Scherber Amy’s Bread

Owner: Amy Scherber75 Ninth Avenue, New York, NY 10011

(and multiple locations)212-977-2670

www.amysbread.com

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Semolina Bread with Apricots and SageMade with Biga Starter

Makes three 1-pound round loaves

Equipment: baking stone and wooden peel, one 17 x 12-inch sheet pan

This lovely golden bread is both sweet and savory. Apricots sweeten the loaves and chopped fresh sage adds an earthy, grassy fl avor. It is similar to our Semolina with Golden Raisins and Fennel in shape, color, and texture. We form and cut the bread into a sunfl ower—a special shape we make for all the holidays. It also makes a unique gift because it looks so pretty. We like to serve this Semolina with Apricots and Sage with fi sh or poultry, and we’ve even diced it to add to Thanksgiving turkey stuffi ng. With its crunchy cornmeal crust and dense, almost cakelike interior, this bread is sure to please.

8 oz/227 g dried apricots, diced2 oz/57 g very warm water (105º to 115ºF)1 tsp active dry yeast12.5 oz/355 g cool water (75ºF)10 oz/284 g Biga (see below)18.35 oz/520 g patent durum fl our6 oz/170 g medium yellow cornmeal.56 oz/16 g kosher salt.25 oz/7g fresh sage leaves, choppedExtra cornmeal, for sprinkling

1. Place the apricots in a large measuring cup, and add warm water to come just below the top of the fruit. Set aside to soak.2. Combine the very warm water and yeast in a medium bowl and stir with a fork to dissolve the yeast. Let the mixture stand for 3 minutes.3. Add the cool water and biga to the yeast mixture and mix with your fi ngers for about 2 minutes, breaking up the starter. The mixture should look milky and slightly foamy.4. Whisk the fl our, ¾ cup of the cornmeal, and the salt together in a large bowl. Pour in the yeast mixture and mix with your fi ngers until the dough forms a sticky mass. If the dough feels too stiff, add cool water 1 tablespoon at a time.5. Move the dough to a very lightly fl oured surface and knead for 5 to 8 minutes, until it is smooth, elastic, supple, and

somewhat resilient. The dough will still be somewhat fi rm. Put the dough back into the mixing bowl, cover with oiled plastic wrap, and let rest for 20 minutes to smooth out and develop elasticity.6. Drain the apricots. Spread out the dough in the mixing bowl and evenly sprinkle on the chopped sage and diced apricots. Press them into the dough, then pull the dough from the edges of the bowl and fold it in toward the middle. Knead the dough in the bowl until the fruit and sage are incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes.7. Gather the dough into a loose ball, lift it up and oil the bowl, then place it back in the bowl, along with any loose apricots. Turn the dough to coat with oil, cover the bowl with oiled plastic wrap, and let it rise at room temperature (75º to 77ºF) for 1 hour.8. After 1 hour, turn the dough while it is still in the mixing bowl. Gently defl ate

the dough in the middle of the bowl with your fi ngertips, then fold the left side over the middle, and the right side over the middle. Fold the dough in half, gently pat it down, and then turn it over so the seam is underneath. Let it rise again for 40 minutes to 1 hour, until it doubles in volume. When the dough is fully risen, an indentation made by poking your fi nger deep into the dough should not spring back.9. Divide the dough into three equal pieces, about 510 grams/18 ounces each. Shape each piece into a boule.10. Place the remaining ¾ cup cornmeal in a bowl. Using a plant mister, spray each loaf generously with water, then roll the loaves in the cornmeal, coating them completely. Place the loaves on the work surface and press down gently to fl atten them into disks about 8 inches in diameter.

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11. Line a peel and cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle with cornmeal. Place one disk on the peel and the others on the baking sheet, leaving at least 4 inches between each loaf. If you don’t have a baking stone, place one loaf on one baking sheet, and two on the other to rise. Let the loaves rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour.12. Thirty minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 425ºF. Prepare the oven by placing a cast-iron skillet and a smaller pan (a mini loaf pan) on the floor of the oven or on the lowest possible rack in an electric oven. Place an oven rack two rungs above the cast-iron pan, and if you have one, put a baking stone on the rack. Place another oven rack on the rung just below the stone. Fill a plastic spray bottle with water. Fill a teakettle with water to be boiled later, and have a metal 1-cup measure with a straight handle available near the kettle.13. Five to 10 minutes before the loaves are ready to bake, turn the water on to boil, and carefully place two or three ice cubes in the small loaf pan in the bottom of the oven. This helps to create moisture in the oven prior to baking.14. Place an inverted mug or glass with a 3- to 4-inch opening in the center of one disk. Press it gently into the dough, and use a dough cutter to cut the dough into 4 wedges, starting at the edge of the glass. Cut those wedges in half, then in half again, so you have 16 segments. Give each cut segment a quarter-turn so a cut side is facing upward. If the dough feels too sticky, don’t twist the segments—just leave them fl at and separate each one slightly from the one next to it. Remove the glass, leaving an uncut area in the center of the loaf. Repeat the procedure with the other 2 disks. Let the loaves rest for 10 minutes before baking.15. Make sure the parchment is not sticking to the peel, open the oven door, and gently slide the bread onto the stone. Place the pan of bread on the rack below. Or if using two baking sheets, place one on the upper rack and one on the rack below that. Quickly mist the loaves with water 6 to 8 times, pour 1 cup of boiling water into the skillet, and immediately shut the oven door. After 1 minute,

quickly mist the loaves with water again, then shut the oven door.16. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375ºF and bake for 15 to 18 minutes longer, until the loaves are a golden yellow-brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. The crust should be firm but not too dark; watch the bread carefully—it will brown quickly during the last few minutes of baking. Place the loaves on wire racks and cool completely before serving.

TIPS AND TECHNIQUESUnbleached all-purpose flour with a protein content of 11.7% was used in the biga. We recommend using medium cornmeal for this dough. Fine cornmeal does not produce a contrasting texture, and coarse cornmeal is too rough and makes the bottom crust very tough. Bob’s

Red Mill produces medium cornmeal and corn grits (polenta). Both work well for this dough.

Biga Starter

Many of our recipes use a biga starter made from flour, water, and a small amount of yeast. Biga, which is the Italian word for starter, was called Sponge Starter in the first version of Amy’s Bread, but today the word biga is well known by bread bakers so we decided to use it here as well. Biga usually refers to a starter made with yeast, not sourdough, although sourdough biga (biga naturale) can be found in some Italian recipes. This starter, which is thicker than poolish, is allowed to ferment for at least 8 hours. It can then be used immediately or stored in the refrigerator, covered

with plastic wrap, for up to 24 hours. We like breads made with biga because they have a moist, chewy texture with more flavor, a nicer crust, and a longer shelf life than straight yeasted breads. These are many of the same qualities that make sourdough breads so appealing, but you can achieve them without the extended process of making a sourdough starter.

Small BatchMakes 400 grams / 14 ounces / 1¾ cups

7 oz/200 g very warm water (105° to 115°F)1/8 tsp active dry yeast8 oz/227 g unbleached all-purpose flour

Large Batch Makes 800 grams / 28 ounces / 3¾ cupsEquipment: one 2-quart clear plastic or glass container with high sides

14 oz/397 g very warm water (105° to 115°F)¾¼ tsp active dry yeast16 oz/454 g unbleached all-purpose flour

1. In a medium bowl, mix the warm water and yeast together and stir to dissolve the yeast. Add the flour and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon for 1 to 2 minutes, until a smooth, somewhat elastic batter has formed. The batter will be fairly thick and stretchy; it gets softer and more elastic after it has risen. Scrape the biga into the

container, mark the height of the starter and the time on a piece of tape on the side of the container so you can see how much it rises, and cover the container with plastic wrap.2. Let it rise at room temperature (75º to 78ºF) for 6 to 8 hours. Or let it rise for 1 hour at room temperature, then chill it in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight. Remove it from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours to warm up and become active before use. Biga should more than double in volume. If you use the starter while it’s still cold from the refrigerator, be sure to compensate for the cold temperature by using warm water (85ºF to 90ºF) in your dough, instead of the cool water specified in the recipe. Use the starter while it is still bubbling up, but before it starts to deflate.

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www.ConfectioneryArts.com

7 2 7 - 8 7 9 31-877-PASTRY3

• Adjustable valve for low to high pressure cooling• Endorsed by pastry and chocolate professionals• Non flammable Formulation• Leaves no residue

Confectionery Arts International has over 3000 products and has the industries finest price point, and there is only one way to find out, call us for a quote!

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Business profi le: I founded La Brea Bakery in 1989. La Brea Bakery is now the leading U.S. producer of par-baked artisan breads distributed to foodservice and grocery retail businesses.

How it all began: I fi rst started making bread in the early 1980’s while I was the pastry chef at Spago. Unfortunately at that time I did not have any bread making skills, just a recipe to follow. It wasn’t until I undertook the challenge of creating a full line of breads for La Brea Bakery that I really began my education as a bread maker.

What are you trying to do differently? We are always working on expanding our artisan bread footprint to offer consumers a wide variety of high quality breads to meet their daily needs. For example, we now offer a line of Artisan Sliced Breads which are great for making everyday sandwiches. Our Bake at Home and Take ‘n Bake lines allow consumers the benefi t of baking our bread in their own ovens, for hot bread at the table at any time. For the last several years we have been offering seasonal items based on the best of the season’s ingredients.

How many types of bread do you make? Now it’s over 100 varieties of bread.

Favorite type of bread to make: Focaccia. I am working on teaching my chefs at Mozza 2 Go, our take-out concept, how to make it. You can top your focacce with just about anything you want, olives and garlic, tomato and anchovies, grapes and goat cheese.

Favorite bread to eat: White Table Bread is my classic favorite, or Sourdough Batard.

Bread philosophy: Great bread, in my opinion, takes time. It takes patience and care. You have to be dedicated to the baking process. But the rewards are great. Using high-quality, all natural ingredients is very important, but minimally as not to get in the way of the essential fl avors of sourdough or wheat.

Signature products: Rosemary Olive Oil, Country White, Olive Bread. Our Whole Grain breads because of their healthful benefi ts.

Best compliment you’ve ever received about your bread: In the mid-90’s our Sourdough Loaf was part of a blind taste test by the San Francisco Chronicle. It went up against some of the premier bakeries in the west, and won. Twice. Even though it is a common misconception that sourdough bread is a San Francisco invention, it is defi nitely well known there. It was quite a surprise to everyone that a bakery from Los Angeles won.

Best part of the bread business: Hearing the personal stories from our customers about their own traditions and how they love our breads. I guess it’s knowing that we are bringing more than just bread to their tables.

If you weren’t making bread, what would you be doing? I would still be cooking in some way. This is what I love to do, and all I really know how to do.

What’s next? We will continue to listen to our customers and what they want, and then expand our selection of offerings from here.

What direction do you see the bread baking industry heading? The rest of the industry is following suit of what we have been doing for over 20 years; all-natural artisan breads. Breads have cleaner labels with less artifi cial ingredients. Flavor profi les are becoming more diverse. Whole grain offerings are being expanded. And we are starting to see whole milled grains and fl ours.

Nancy SilvertonLa Brea Bakery

Owner: Aryzta, AG – Founder, Nancy Silverton

15963 Strathern Street, Van Nuys, CA 91406

818-742-4242www.labreabakery.com

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The Basic Loaf: Country White1 lb, 2 oz/510 g cool water, 70°F12 oz/340 g White Starter (see recipe in: Nancy Silverton’s Breads From the La Brea Bakery)2 lb, 2 oz/964 g unbleached white bread fl our, plus extra for dusting¾½ cup raw wheat germ4 ½ tsp sea saltVegetable oil

1. Place water, White Starter, fl our, and wheat germ in the bowl of a mixer fi tted with a dough hook. Mix on low speed for 4 minutes. The dough should be sticky and pliable. (The dough may also be mixed by hand). Cover the dough with a proofi ng cloth and allow it to rest in the mixing bowl for 20 minutes.2. Add salt and continue mixing on medium speed, scraping the dough down the sides of the bowl as necessary with a rubber spatula, until the dough reaches an internal temperature of 78°F, and feels soft and resilient. Knead the dough for a few minutes by hand on a lightly fl oured work surface.3. Clean the mixing bowl and lightly coat it with vegetable oil. Returned the dough to the oiled bowl, cover it tightly with plastic wrap, and let it ferment at room temperature until it doubles in volume, 3-4 hours.4. Uncover the dough and turn it out onto a lightly fl oured work surface. Using a dough cutter, cut the dough into two equal pieces. Slap each piece against the work surface a few times to defl ate. Tuck under the edges of each piece, cover the dough with a cloth, and let rest for 15 minutes. 5. Uncover the dough and round each piece into a boule. Place the boules, smooth side down, into fl oured proofi ng baskets. Cover each basket with a cloth and let the dough proof at room temperature until it begins to show signs of movement (it should rise about 1 inch), 1 ¾-2 hours.6. Remove the cloth and sprinkle the surface of the dough with fl our. Wrap each basket tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 8-12 hours.7. Remove the boules from the refrigerator, take off the plastic wrap, and cover each basket with a cloth. Let the dough continue proofi ng at room temperature until it reaches an internal temperature of 58°F, about 2-2 ¾ hours. 8. Preheat the oven to 500°F, one hour before baking. Remove the cloth and lightly dust the boules with fl our. Carefully run your hand around one boule to loosen it and gently invert it onto a lightly fl oured baker’s peel. With a single-edged razor blade held perpendicular to the boule, slash a backward “C” on top of the boule. Each cut should be ¾” deep and begin about 1” from the top of the boule, curving down to the bottom edge. Open the oven door, spritz the oven heavily with water from a spray bottle, and quickly close the door. Open the oven door again, slide the boule onto the baking tiles, and quickly close the door. Cut, spritz, and load the second boule in the same manner.9. Reduce the oven temperature to 450°F. Spritz the oven two more times during the next 5 minutes. Refrain from opening the oven door for the next 20 minutes.10. After 20 minutes, check the boules and rotate them if necessary to ensure even baking. Continue baking for 15 to 20 more minutes, for a total of 40 to 45 minutes.11. Remove the boules to a cooling rack. The fi nished boules will have a burnished brown crust.

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Business profi le: We bake and deliver the best bread that we can make every day to people who ask us for it.

How it all began: I fi rst started baking bread as a hobby when I was working at Chez Panisse restaurant during my fi rst stint as a student at UC Berkeley. Eventually the bread I was making was better than what the restaurant could fi nd, so Alice asked if I would bake bread for the restaurant. Soon other shops and restaurants were asking if they could get better bread as well, so my wife and I opened Acme Bread as a way of fi lling a void in the food community that we were part of.

What are you trying to do differently? Since our goals revolve around baking the best bread that we can, we expand only in response do actual demand and typically only by allowing existing employees to buy into the company as owners. We do not advertise or market our bread. Since we think of bakeries as serving actual communities, when we have expanded into a new area and required additional production we have built a fully functioning bakery in that location, rather than centralizing production in an ever-larger facility.

How many types of bread do you make? A couple of dozen.

Favorite type of bread to make: Naturally-leavened breads (sourdoughs).

Favorite bread to eat: In our area there are too many good bakeries making too many good breads to name just one. But our Pain au Levain is an old friend and a great all-around bread.

Bread philosophy: I love bread and I love making things.

That doesn’t really answer the question but I just thought I’d put it out there.

S i g n a t u r e products: I guess our Pain au Levain and baguettes are the most well-known of our breads. But we don’t sign them.

Best compliment you’ve ever received about

your bread: The fact that people still want it and keep buying it is

the most gratifying compliment I could imagine. Compliments that had the most impact on me, personally, were probably those that came while I was baking bread at Chez Panisse and would fi ll in for a sick busboy. So I would end up serving bread that I had baked to the customers and then I would see them eat it and then they would ask me where it came from. The looks on people’s faces when they heard that the busboy had baked their bread were priceless.

Best part of the bread business: The fact that you can make the very best possible bread and that virtually anyone can afford it. Also, that somehow our niche of the bread business seems to allow a lot of great bakeries to succeed and coexist without having to become vicious, greedy, and exploitative.

If you weren’t making bread, what would you be doing? Maybe I would be an architect or an archeologist.

What direction do you see the bread baking industry heading? I see a continuation of the trend away from industrial, factory-made bread and towards carefully-made breads, made by skilled bakers for their own communities.

Steven SullivanThe Acme Bread Company

Owners: Steven and Susan Sullivan, Doug Volkmer, Rick Kirkby, Drew Westcott, & Claudio de Rezende

2730 Ninth Street, Berkeley; 1601 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley;

The Ferry Building, San Francisco; 846 Independence Avenue,

Mountain View510-843-2978

We bake and deliver the best bread that we can make every day

I fi rst started baking bread as a hobby when I was working at Chez Panisse restaurant during my fi rst stint as a student at UC Berkeley. Eventually the bread I was making was better than what the restaurant could fi nd, so Alice asked if I would bake bread for the restaurant. Soon other shops and restaurants were

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Business profi le: Simply Bread is a wholesale bakery with an artisan bread line serving the Phoenix metropolitan area. The customer base is made up of supermarkets, restaurants, resorts, and specialty markets.

How it all began: I have been in the food business since I was 14 years old. I always had a passion for baking bread, but pursued a career in cooking fi rst with dreams of owning a restaurant one day. About 11 years ago, I made the switch and have been baking bread ever since.

What are you trying to do differently? I am motivated by something once said by one of my mentors, Charlie Trotter. It’s not my priority to be the best at what I do but more important to be the only one doing what I do. Basically what that means to me is that my bread and the bakery is a refl ection of me and my style, which has developed over time and been infl uenced by what I have learned from the people around me throughout my career. Within that style I try to do everything I can to make bread to the highest standards I know. This idea goes throughout the whole business. It is refl ected in our customer service, the professionalism of our drivers, how we answer the phone, and how we treat our employees. No job is too small and every person in the organization is important to the success of the business.

How many types of bread do you make? We mix about 25-30 different doughs on an average day. Within each type there are numerous shapes and sizes. During the farmers’ market season I try to add a few different varieties each week as specials to keep the regulars interested and excited.

Favorite type of bread to make: I think my all-time favorite bread to make is the classic French baguette. When something is so simple, there is no opportunity to hide any faults in the fi nal product. It is one of the hardest breads to make consistently. I like the challenge, and no matter how many I make, I always want to make

the next one better than the last.

Favorite bread to eat: The bread I like most is ciabatta. I love the fl avor, the texture, and the versatility. It is compatible with any food.

Bread philosophy: My philosophy on bread is simple. I have always loved bread because in my mind it is one of the few foods that exist in every part of the world and culture regardless of socioeconomic factors. I have always been fascinated with the idea that a few basic ingredients can be transformed into something so different than the original ingredients. I appreciate all types of bread from plain and simple to complex. The one thing that is a must for me is that regardless of what is added to the bread such as seeds, or nut, or fruit, the actual base bread has to be able to stand on its own

even without those ingredients. We are using the word artisan to describe a process that at one time was the only way bread was made. It had to be made that way because of the lack of technology and ingredients. I want to make bread in a way that uses modern technology and processes but pays respect to the techniques and traditions of the past.

Signature products: Just like most chefs, my signature item was not something I planned. We make a cranberry walnut bread that has white and whole wheat fl our, rye sourdough, organic walnuts, organic jumbo raisins, cranberries, cracked wheat, and cracked rye. My intentions were to create a bread that was full bodied and substantial but also appealed to the indulgent side of people. Just like all of my breads it is made from a well fermented dough that is complemented with the addition of high quality ingredients. I haven’t met anyone that hasn’t liked it. My Challah and Raisin Challah have also become a signature. It may not be what most people think of when they think of ‘artisan bread’, but it is made in the same style as our other breads. It has a lot of prefermented fl our in the formula resulting in complexity of fl avor and aroma. It’s sweetened primarily with a desert wildfl ower honey from Flagstaff, Arizona, about two hours north of the bakery. The fi nal bread is very moist and has a lot of body to it; its not just fl uff. We use an organic jumbo Thompson raisin for the Raisin Challah which is something a lot of people have never seen before.

Jeff YankellowSimply Bread

Owner: Basic Food Group, LLC2117 N. 24th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85008

602-244-1778www.simplybread.com

Photos by Joe Burns

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Best compliment you’ve ever received about your bread: I think the best compliment came from a woman who walked into our retail store and by her own admission was almost brought to tears when she tasted a loaf that reminded her of the bread she ate as a child. It doesn’t say much about the bread actually but it means that the bread made an emotional connection with her which is a very good feeling to see.

Best part of the bread business: The people. Bakers are a humble breed, in my opinion. I get to work with so many great people every day. My best friends are bakers and they are the most sharing group of people I know.

If you weren’t making bread, what would you be doing? I would probably be cooking. I spent 10 years cooking before I turned to baking. I still love to cook but as a profession I enjoy making bread.

If you had to characterize yourself as a type of bread, what would you be? Ciabatta – it displays the key characteristics of humility, pride, and respect. The humble appearance doesn’t scream for attention, but once you tear it open, the crust reveals a complex web of texture and fl avors that has developed over a long period of fermentation. It pays respect to the tradition of artisan baking in that it uses long fermentation to achieve a result that would

otherwise not be possible. From four to fi ve simple ingredients a mass of fl our and water becomes a fully developed bread. This is the same as my career path. I have gotten to the place where I am today as a result of hard work, education and nurturing from a lot of people. Over time all of these ingredients have culminated in the development of me as a baker and a person.

What’s next? I don’t know what the future holds for sure other than growing the business and focusing on the details, so that with growth, quality continues to improve and not decline. Currently my

bakery is primarily wholesale with a very small retail outlet.

One day down the line I may like to open a small neighborhood bakery.

What direction do you see the bread baking industry heading? I think that smaller local bakeries will continue to establish themselves in neighborhoods around the country. Artisan bread is only a small part of the overall bread market in this country, and I don’t think that is going to change drastically any time soon. But I do think the appreciation for artisan bread and other artisan foods will continue to grow, as the appreciation for local and pristine ingredients continues to grow. I think this demand will infl uence the larger operations and force the more commercial bread producers to change for the better.

cooking. I spent 10 years cooking before I turned to baking. I still love to cook but as a profession I enjoy

If you had to characterize yourself as a type of bread, what would you

Ciabatta – it displays the key characteristics of humility, pride, and respect. The humble appearance doesn’t scream for attention, but once you tear it open, the crust reveals a complex web of texture and fl avors that has developed over a long period of fermentation. It pays respect to the tradition of artisan baking

Best compliment you’ve ever received I think the best

compliment came from a woman who walked into our retail store and by her own admission was almost brought to tears when she tasted a loaf that reminded her of the bread she ate as a child. It doesn’t say much about the bread actually but it means that the bread made an emotional connection with her which is a very good

The people. Bakers are a humble breed, in my opinion. I get to work with so many great people every day. My best friends are bakers and they are the most sharing

If you weren’t making bread, what

Green olive bread.

Challah roll.

Cranberry walnut raisin.

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Sesame FlameDough yield: 10 kgThis is a bread that I made for the Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie in Paris in 2005. The hydration level is very high resulting in a thin crisp crust and a very irregular crumb structure. The whole grains in the bread, combined with the fl avor of the seeds will result in a very nutty fl avor. The shape was unique for me because typically doughs of this hydration are simply cut as a square or rectangle because it is diffi cult to handle such soft dough.

Spelt poolish:42.15 oz/1.195 kg bread fl our, winter wheat 14.5% protein (70.6% bp)17.56 oz/498 g whole spelt fl our (29.4% bp)59.7 oz/1.693 kg water (100% bp).07 oz/2 g instant yeast (.1% bp)

Adjust the temperature of the water so that the fi nal temperature of the poolish is 72°-74°F. Place the water in the bowl with the fl our and yeast and mix in slow speed until the ingredients are well blended. Place the mixed poolish in a bowl and allow it to rest covered at 73°F for approximately 12 hours. Be sure to allow room for the poolish to grow 2 to 3 times in volume.

Whole wheat sponge:17.56 oz/498 g whole wheat fl our (100% bp)11.78 oz/334 g water (67% bp).035 oz/1 g instant yeast (.1% bp)

Adjust the temperature of the water so that the fi nal temperature of the sponge is 72°-74°F. Place the water in the bowl with the fl our and yeast and mix in slow speed until the ingredients are well blended. Place the mixed sponge in a bowl and allow it to rest covered at 73°F for approximately 12 hours. The sponge will grow 2 to 3 times in volume.

Liquid levain:14 oz/398 g bread fl our, winter wheat 14.5% protein (100% bp)14 oz/398 g water (100% bp)2.8 oz/80 g white starter (20% bp)

Adjust the temperature of the water so that the fi nal temperature of the levain is 72°-74°F. Place the water in the bowl with the fl our and starter and mix in slow speed until the ingredients are well blended. The starter is a mature white starter fed the same way as the levain. Place the mixed levain in a bowl and allow it to rest covered at 73°F for approximately 12 hours. The levain will double in volume.

Final dough:84.3 oz/2.39 kg bread fl our, winter wheat 14.5% protein (100% bp).35 oz/10 g instant yeast (.4% bp)3.5 oz/100 g salt (4.2% bp)7.47 lb/3.388 kg Spelt Poolish (141.7%)

29.38 oz/833 g Whole Wheat Sponge (34.8% bp)30.8 oz/876 g Liquid Levain (36.7% bp)63.73 oz/1.807 kg water (75.6% bp)21 oz/597 g natural brown sesame seeds (25% bp)

1. In the bowl of a spiral mixer or a vertical planetary mixer with the hook attachment place all of the preferments and the fi nal dough ingredients, with the exception of the sesame seeds and water. Adjust the water temperature so the fi nal dough temperature is 73°F-76°F. 2. Add 85-90% of the total water to the bowl and begin mixing in fi rst speed for 3-5 minutes or until the ingredients are incorporated. Turn the mixer off and allow the dough to rest for 15 minutes. Turn the mixer to low speed for 1 minute. The dough should have a soft but fi rm consistency. Turn the mixer to high speed for 2 minutes or until the dough begins to pull away

from the sides of the bowl. As soon as this begins to happen start adding the remaining water while the mixer is running in high speed. When the water is incorporated, stop the mixer and check for gluten development. The gluten should be at a medium stage of development. Adding the water in two stages will allow this dough

to develop more effi ciently. Turn the

mixer back to slow speed and add the sesame seeds. Mix until the seeds are well distributed.3. Place the dough in a covered container and leave at room temperature, approximately 74° F for a total of 2 hours. After 30 minutes punch and fold the dough and return to the container. Repeat this step after another 30 minutes, and again 30 minutes after that.4. At the end of the 2 hours divide the dough in1 lb, 4 oz/550g pieces and preshape as a loose ball. Cover and allow the dough pieces to rest for 20 minutes. 5. Shape the rested balls of dough into a tight batard, being gentle not to damage the cell structure of the dough too much. To fi nish, using a bench knife cut the dough pieces along the center, lengthwise, leaving 1 inch on each end uncut so that the fi nal piece resembles an eye when pulled gently apart. Place the cut sides of dough into a pan of sesame seeds and place the piece of dough onto linen to proof with the sesame seeds facing down. Place the loaves in a draft free place at approximately 74° F for 20-30 minutes to proof. Alternately, the dough can be cut simply as would be done for a ciabatta. The proofi ng is very short due to the high water content and weak structure of the dough.6. Turn the loaves over onto the oven loading device, and arrange so that the piece looks like a fl ame, by positioning the opposite ends of the bread in opposing directions. Bake with steam at 475° F for approximately 30 minutes. Vent the steam from the oven and continue to bake for an additional 5 minutes. Remove the bread from the oven and allow to cool.

17.56 oz/498 g whole spelt fl our

Adjust the temperature of the water so that the fi nal temperature of the poolish is 72°-74°F. Place the water in the bowl with the fl our and yeast and mix in slow speed until the ingredients are well blended. Place the mixed poolish in a bowl and allow it to rest covered at 73°F for approximately 12 hours. Be sure to allow room for the poolish to grow 2 to 3 times in

17.56 oz/498 g whole wheat fl our Sesame fl ame crumb.

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2010 Bread Bakers’ Hall of Fame Honoree:

Tom McMahon

Baking was a second career for Pittsburgh lawyer Tom McMahon. In 1979 he co-founded Breadworks, the fi rst artisan bread bakery in Pittsburgh. He attended the fi rst Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie, the World Cup of Baking, in Paris in 1992, and was inspired by the idea that an American team might someday compete in the international event.

In 1993 McMahon founded the non-profi t Bread Bakers Guild of America and served as The Guild’s fi rst director. Under his direction, the Guild community, which began with 458 members, more than doubled in its fi rst ten years. He was responsible for bringing legendary French bakers Lionel Poilâne, Christian Vabret, and Raymond Calvel to the United States to share their knowledge with American bakers, and he persuaded master baker Didier Rosada to move from France to pursue a teaching career in the U.S.

In 1994 the fi rst American team competed in the Coupe du Monde, and in 1996 Bread Bakers Guild Team U.S.A. won a gold medal in the Coupe -- accomplishments which were the direct result of McMahon’s vision and efforts.

In 1997, McMahon stepped down as Executive Director of The Guild to become Project Director at the National Baking Center. In honor of his many achievements in the fi eld of artisan baking, The Guild presented McMahon with the Lionel Poilâne Award in 2003.

McMahon served as President of the Jury at the 2005 Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie and now lives with his wife Melinda in Italy, where he bakes bread in a wood-fi red brick oven for his family and guests.

Left to right: the late Lionel

Poilâne, Melinda McMahon and Tom

McMahon.

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