Rating: 
Summary: Frustrating!
Review: I've had this book for many years, and generally only have about a 20 to 30% success rate with these recipes. I do appreciate that this is one of the rare bread cookbooks in which the recipes are truly whole-grain, but... unfortunately, the techniques just don't cut it with me. For some recipes they work, and many others they don't. I have been baking bread for 20 years, and this is the least successful book I have found. That said, I keep trying just in case one of these days, the techniques (especially the wet knead) work. Most of what I've made is edible, just only 2 inches tall. So, buy this book if you are serious about wanting to make whole-grain-only bread. The authors are caring, the book is well-written (I have the original edition) and explains much about home-milling as well as the bread-baking process; just be aware that the techniques here are a bit different.
Rating: 
Summary: THE reference for breadmaking with whole grains
Review: If you are serious about baking purely whole grain bread, this is the best reference there is. Features include chapters devoted to whole wheat and other specialty grains; "captured" sourdough cultures; milling your own whole grain flours; and even rice flour breads for those who are trying to eliminate wheat from their diets. As with the Laurel's Kitchen cookbook, this book goes beyond a mere collection of recipes, with gentle guidance on health, lifestyle, and wellbeing.
Rating:
Summary: THE reference for breadmaking with whole grains
Review: If you are serious about baking purely whole grain bread, this is the best reference there is. Features include chapters devoted to whole wheat and other specialty grains; "captured" sourdough cultures; milling your own whole grain flours; and even rice flour breads for those who are trying to eliminate wheat from their diets. As with the Laurel's Kitchen cookbook, this book goes beyond a mere collection of recipes, with gentle guidance on health, lifestyle, and wellbeing.
Rating: 
Summary: THE whole-grain bread book
Review: If you're committed to baking whole-grain bread, it would be hard to imagine a better book. The Laurel's Kitchen people present a wide range of recipes that, if followed carefully, will give you first-rate whole grain bread.
I'd especially recommend the book for the novice bread-baker. The introductory instructions are very detailed, helpful, and easy to follow.
I wish that the authors had emphasized slow-fermentation techniques more than they do: in my opinion, the slow-rise approach is the only way to get the best flavor out of whole-grain breads. In fact, the back of the book contains a very good collection of slow-rise techniques, but first-time users of the book aren't likely to find them.
Whole-grain bread, properly made, is the best bread there is; if you want to make it right, get this book!
Rating:
Summary: A bread book for those on carb-sensitive diets
Review: In the age of carb-conscious diets where bread has fallen out of vogue, it is difficult to find a good collection of recipes that follows the requirements of the South Beach or Atkins diets. This is especially painful for those who dearly love bread and are willing to switch to whole-grain breads in compliance with such diets. After searching for some time for such a collection, I discovered this title and purchased with high hopes. I have not been disappointed.
This book touts itself as a 100% whole-grain bread book, and it lives up to that claim. Every recipe is based on something other than white flour, usually whole wheat flour, but frequently rye and other good flours are used in primary roles. The authors explain, rightly, that whole grains are better than highly processed flours and that they set out expressly to bring the art of whole grain baking to the readership.
The book begins with a rather lengthy discussion of why the authors have elected to concentrate on whole grain breadmaking. This includes the health issue, but also the "lost art" argument as well. From this preface, they launch into a fascinating collection of recipes: whole wheat breads, rye breads, breads with beans in the dough, milk and egg breads, grain breads, fruit/nut/seed breads, small breads, sprout and potato breads, breads with no salt, breads with rice, and finally muffins and quick breads. After the recipe collection, the book includes a very unique section describing how to rescue failed breads, followed by discussion revolving around the ingredients, a short section about equipment and utilities, and finally bread machine bread making (with a small but decent selection of recipes).
I have tried several of the recipes in this book ,and they have all turned out quite well. One recipe yielded a surprise - the Oatmeal Bread recipe made a good loaf, but the loaf was actually better on the second day. Another choice recipe is the pocket bread (pita) - it makes a lot, and they turn out infinitely better than that found at the grocery store.
Each recipe is laid out in much detail, describing possible pitfalls and things for which to look. There is more detail in this recipe collection than in most, and there should be no trouble in understanding what is required for each step in every recipe.
There is one thing about this book that is not immediately apparent unless you look for it - the recipes do not call for processed sugar as a sweetener. In fact, several recipes do not require sweeteners at all but allow for them on an "as desired" basis. Those that have sweeteners included in the recipe as a required ingredient almost always call for honey, and usually in small amounts. In addition, the authors state their general distaste for processed sugars as sweeteners, which is a good thing for those on special low-carb/low sugar diets.
This book is a must for anyone who wishes to make very good whole-grain breads. It is especially useful to those who are on carb-sensitive diets and cannot bear to part with bread.
Rating:
Summary: Breadmaking Bible
Review: Laurel Robertson, through this book, has been my breadmaking teacher. I was a complete beginner when I bought it 4 years ago and it taught me step-by-step what to do. It explains each step in detail what to look out for and also provides a great number of wonderful recipes that I now am able to adjust and modify to my liking. The best is the information about various ingredients that go into breadmaking, why each is important and how they work to make a successful loaf. And the troubleshooting tips are helpful too. This book is a substitute for a breadmaking course and more.
Rating:
Summary: The one true path to whole-grain baking!
Review: Most baking books treat whole-grain flour "as though it were white flour, only worse," in the words of the authors of this essential book. Their superior nutritional value aside, whole grains aren't "worse," but they do behave differently from white flour when mixing and kneading bread dough. This 100%-whole-grain book offers the kitchen wisdom that I wish I'd had in my earliest years of baking.Long before so-called "artisanal" loaves were offered by supermakets, the authors of this fine book were engrossed in the mission of making fine whole-grain bread an attainable staff of life for just about anyone, even with a jam-packed schedule and no money for fancy kitchen equipment. (Laurel astutely notes that such people "probably need good bread more than anyone.") When I bought the first edition of this book more than twenty years ago, I was just such a person. The authors' sensible guidelines for fitting breadmaking into my overfilled work week came as a real revelation. They also helped solve a number of frustrating problems, such as, "Why is my rye dough so slimy?" Not only can the scheduling fit any situation, the authors argue, but the essential equipment can be minimal. Thankfully I now can rely on a heavy-duty mixer with a dough hook as well as a bread machine. But assuming normal hand and arm strength, you don't absolutely need machines to knead up really good bread: For years my batterie de cuisine comprised only bowls, measuring spoons and cups, a dough cutter, cheap loaf and sheet pans, and my own two hands. Laurel & Co. provide advice for mixing bread by hand, in a food processor, an electric mixer, and--thanks to the new chapter in this updated edition--in an automatic bread machine that kneads, proofs, and bakes. The authors' troubleshooting advice will help anyone, from first-time breadmaker to an expert, figure out what might go wrong. And when something goes blissfully right, you'll learn which factors will help you achieve similar results again and again. I'm sorry to read reviews from Amazon readers who baked duds from this book, and hope that they'll try again, starting with "A Loaf for Learning." This detailed chapter is a blueprint to follow from which anyone can turn out high-rising, marvelously tasty, versatile loaves. Though I have happily divided my loyalties among several books when it comes to baking with white flour, when using strictly whole grains, my loyalty is four-square behind "The Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book."
Rating:
Summary: The one true path to whole-grain baking!
Review: Most baking books treat whole-grain flour "as though it were white flour, only worse," in the words of the authors of this essential book. Their superior nutritional value aside, whole grains aren't "worse," but they do behave differently from white flour when mixing and kneading bread dough. This 100%-whole-grain book offers the kitchen wisdom that I wish I'd had in my earliest years of baking. Long before so-called "artisanal" loaves were offered by supermakets, the authors of this fine book were engrossed in the mission of making fine whole-grain bread an attainable staff of life for just about anyone, even with a jam-packed schedule and no money for fancy kitchen equipment. (Laurel astutely notes that such people "probably need good bread more than anyone.") When I bought the first edition of this book more than twenty years ago, I was just such a person. The authors' sensible guidelines for fitting breadmaking into my overfilled work week came as a real revelation. They also helped solve a number of frustrating problems, such as, "Why is my rye dough so slimy?" Not only can the scheduling fit any situation, the authors argue, but the essential equipment can be minimal. Thankfully I now can rely on a heavy-duty mixer with a dough hook as well as a bread machine. But assuming normal hand and arm strength, you don't absolutely need machines to knead up really good bread: For years my batterie de cuisine comprised only bowls, measuring spoons and cups, a dough cutter, cheap loaf and sheet pans, and my own two hands. Laurel & Co. provide advice for mixing bread by hand, in a food processor, an electric mixer, and--thanks to the new chapter in this updated edition--in an automatic bread machine that kneads, proofs, and bakes. The authors' troubleshooting advice will help anyone, from first-time breadmaker to an expert, figure out what might go wrong. And when something goes blissfully right, you'll learn which factors will help you achieve similar results again and again. I'm sorry to read reviews from Amazon readers who baked duds from this book, and hope that they'll try again, starting with "A Loaf for Learning." This detailed chapter is a blueprint to follow from which anyone can turn out high-rising, marvelously tasty, versatile loaves. Though I have happily divided my loyalties among several books when it comes to baking with white flour, when using strictly whole grains, my loyalty is four-square behind "The Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book."
Rating:
Summary: The best book on whole grain breadmaking
Review: Most breadmaking cookbooks, if they cover whole grain baking at all, have recipes which could best be described as "whole-grain flavored bread" since they use a lot of white flour in their recipes. Cooking with 100% whole grain flours is a bit trickier than baking with refined flours, but if you follow the instructions in this book you will end up with excellent bread. Quite simply, if you want to avoid using white flour in your breadmaking, you need this book. Excellent.
Rating:
Summary: Desem
Review: The one thing that sets this book apart from all others is not the thorough instructions, or the fact that all the bread recipes use whole grains. It's the recipe for desem bread. "Recipe" doesn't adequately describe the extremely detailed instructions for making this what maybe the ultimate whole-grain, natural-yeast bread. It almost resembles a science experiment, and can be a great project for anyone who is interested in the way flour and water mixed together interacts with whatever bacteria (?) is floating in our air to create natural leavening agents. And the results? Well, they are simply amazing. This bread literally tastes different every time it's baked - it keeps getting better and better as the desem (which is like a 'mother', a bit of dough you feed and carry on from baking to baking) matures. It's also quite a lot of work - I've let several desems die over the years due to neglect. If you are going away on holiday for some time, expect to have to start over or spend a lot of time reviving the desem (unless you can find a willing friend to pet- I mean, desem-sit for you!) Perhaps keeping a desem doesn't fit a modern lifestyle. Still I keep on starting new desems simply because the flavor is so unforgettable. In any case, get this book, enjoy the other whole-grain breads in there - and eventually, I urge you to try the desem bread.
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