The Breads of France Book

An instant classic upon publication in 1978, THE BREADS OF FRANCE introduced American bakers to the pleasures of French artisanal breads. Author Bernard Clayton spent years visiting boulangeries both famous and unknown, collecting authentic bread recipes from some of the most esteemed bakers in France. The resulting treasure trove includes such classic regional breads as Petits Pains au Chocolat from Bracieux, Pain de Campagne from the Parisian master baker Poilâne, and Pumpkin-Cornmeal Bread from the French Basque country. Clayton's recipes are written in a unique step-by-step style-instructions lucid and complete, questions anticipated and answered-that evolved from his experiences teaching bread-baking classes. Filled with delightful vignettes of French culture, history, and bread-baking lore and charming black-and-white photographs, The Breads of France is not just a glorious collection of bread recipes-it's a window onto the world's richest, most storied bread-baking tradition.

About the Author: Bernard Clayton, Jr., is one of our country's most revered bread bakers and best-selling cookbook writers. Credited with introducing artisanal French baking to the United States, he has influenced dozens of today's leading bakers. A former writer and editor at Indiana University and a Time-Life correspondent, Mr. Clayton resides in Bloomington, Indiana.