For this Americanized edition, only a few changes have been made, and, as in The River Cottage Preserves Handbook, the tone of the original has been preserved. Stevens, a chef at River Cottage, begins with recommended equipment and ingredients, then quickly moves on to detailed instructions on making bread by hand, with step-by-step photographs. Over 40 recipes follow, including sourdough from homemade starter, bagels and doughnuts, and traditional English fare such as scones, shortbread, crumpets, and oatcakes. A short chapter on what to do with leftover bread concludes the recipes. Recipes are given in weight and volume, and a warning that all temperatures are for convection ovens is repeated throughout. The final pages are somewhat less practical-Stevens provides directions for making a clay oven, a challenge only the most devoted baker will likely attempt. VERDICT This slim volume is an affordable introduction to bread making, geared toward the dedicated novice.
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