Bread Matters by Andrew Whitley

[StephenLee]

I have just read Bread Matters by Andrew Whitley. If you are a bread making virgin or very experienced, you can learn something from it.

A couple of points that I picked up were that Whitley advocates a long rising period to allow the full flavour of the bread to develop. This is achieve either by reducing the amount of yeast used or rising in a cooler place. This is certainly born out by my experiences.

Going on from this point, he shows that the gluten is changed over the period of the rising and that it becomes more digestible as the various enzymes break the gluten molecules down. This is particularly so in sour doughs where the acidic environment break the gluten down further.

He makes the point that the levels of coeliac syndrome and wheat/gluten sensitivity/intolerance are much higher in Ireland than elsewhere mainly because their tradition of soda bread (where mixing to eating is about 30-40 minutes) do not allow the gluten to be broken down. I remember reading an article like this in the British Medical Journal some years ago.

All in all, a very good and informative read.

Stephen

[metatron]

I've not read it, but anyone that makes Italian breads will find most require some "old dough/starter" which is made the night before and placed in the fridge over night. Also worth mentioning if you get a spray gun and spray some water in the bottom of your oven, it helps develop an extremely crispy crust.