Bien Cuit: The Art of Bread

UPDATE BELOW......Same stupid binding issue after waiting months to get this book and having pre-ordered it. Instead of Amazon alerting me to the issue, I received my new copy today with the front cover already detaching from the book where the spine should hold it in place. Anyone opening the book to read it/use it would find it quickly falling apart. Shame of the publisher who should have known better than to print/ship books like this and SHAME ON AMAZON FOR ALL ITS PREDICTIVE TECHNOLOGY AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR NOT IDENTIFYING THE QUALITY ISSUE AND PROACTIVELY COMMUNICATING TO CUSTOMERS IN ADVANCE AND EVEN CANCELING ORDERS UNTIL THE PUBLISHER COULD GET IT RIGHT.------------------------------------------------------------------UPDATE:Update - the ReganArts Digital Marketing Manager, Clarke Bowling, who posted a reply to my original review, suggesting packaging/shipping was at fault and offering to replace the copy is disingenuous at best, especially given the prevalence of the issue. Moreover, I had emailed Mr. Bowling whose immediate response to a customer concern was dismissive, citing the book "is a work of art and has been specially produced and manufactured with an elegant, sophisticated design. When I replied in depth, respectfully and subsequently followed up, Mr. Bowling did not respond either time. Hmmm.... See emails below and decide for yourself. Why is it so hard for companies and individuals such as Ms. Regan and her imprint to recognize that while attractive and aesthetically pleasing, this book is a functional design FAIL. Take responsibility, correct the issue and send copies to customers that won't fall apart even before use. Instead, to avoid taking responsibility for their costly mistake, insist that those who don't appreciate the art because the book comes apart don't get it. Posting to Amazon to try to massage the perception is just as shameful!!!From: Stuart Greif <[email protected]>Sent: Thursday, December 3, 2015 7:52 PMTo: Clarke BowlingSubject: Re: Bien CuitDear Clarke:Just confirming that Regan Arts has chosen to ignore and not respond / take any action relative to my follow-up email below and this is reflective and how it chooses to value its customers.StuartFrom: Stuart Greif <[email protected]>Sent: Tuesday, November 24, 2015 10:03 AMTo: Clarke BowlingSubject: Re: Bien CuitDear Clarke:Respectfully, I have a large collection of cookbooks - hundreds- including many Phaidon imprints and many "works of art" that serve more as coffee table or display piecesThe book is artfully and elegantly designed, but again, respectfully, a functional and customer failure. The size and heft of the cover itself, even as an art book, is resulting in my copy (and many others- see Amazon reviews/comments) to separate as a brand new book. More significantly, this book and it's content, is intended to be used as a cookbook, not a display piece.The entire rationale for the lay flat design, is to make it easier to use and reference frequently when using to bake bread. A book that will come apart as easily as this one is a design/functionality/usability failure. Let me ask you to also consider what the two primary ingredients are in bread baking- flour and water. Also consider what tools are used to knead and shape bread- hands. Imagine someone- even someone neat- in a kitchen using this book with flour and water about and an exposed spine.If you please take the time to read the Amazon comments and negative reviews piling up, you will see that those of us who are your target customer and sophisticated collectors of art pieces as well as practitioners, are sending you a loud and consistent message. This binding is a major fail and while we want the content, we won't be purchasing another/replacement copy until/unless Regan Arts takes responsibility and republishes this book with an acceptable binding. The customer is not always right, and art and beauty are in the eye of the beholder, but your customers who support your artists and your imprint, are telling you something.Replying that this is an "art" book, misses the point and fails to take responsibility. I wonder how your artist/author will feel when he sees his fine work, talents and reputation tarnished by a publisher who rather than quickly doing right by its customers, chooses to assert the design is elegant and sophisticated in the face of mounting criticism, negative reviews and social media feedback. I plan to reach out to the author as well to share my displeasure with how his publisher is handing the review.I have already initiated a return via Amazon. Even they recognize an issue by not permitting replacement copies to be sent. They stand by customers and take responsibility when they are wrong. Regan Arts, rather than recalling the book and putting a plan to republish with an appropriate cover that is functional, not just aesthetically pleasing, doesn't appear to do so.Stuart W. GreifFrom: Clarke Bowling <[email protected]>Sent: Tuesday, November 24, 2015 9:37 AMTo: [email protected]: Bien CuitMr. Greif,I received your message regarding your issue with your Amazon shipment. "Bien Cuit: The Art of Bread" is a work of art and has been specially produced and manufactured with an elegant, sophisticated design. Part of the design includes the exposed spine, which allows the book to lie flat for consultation during the baking process. Some copies may be damaged during the shipping process. If your copy has been damaged, please provide me a copy of your Amazon invoice and shipping address and we will get a new copy out to you as soon as possible.Sincerely,Clarke--CLARKE BOWLINGDigital Marketing Manager———ReganArts.65 BLEECKER STREETNEW YORK, NY 10012T 646 448 [email protected]

I was surprised at how much information there was on everything including flours, baking tools, mixing and even stoves.The recipes were easy to read and understand, and while I haven’t made them all, the ones I tried came out great.

I have mixed feelings about this book.I've been a fairly serious home bread baker for a number of years and have more bread books than I'll ever need - but I'm always looking for new ideas.And Bien Cuit has some of those for me - such as the roll and tuck style of mixing. The photography is great and there are an interesting variety of breads, rolls, etc.So far, I've tried several formulas, the Pullman and the 60 hour sourdough, with good results.However, there are a variety of things that are less to my liking.As has been noted in a number of reviews, the binding is strange. It does lie flat, which I like. One of the corners of my cover has started to slightly delaminate. I do wonder what it will look like in a year. The spine has no markings - if you had several volumes made in this style, you would have to pull them out to find the book you wanted.The white printing and black background requires a white pen to make notes. Both the binding and the white on black seem like an effort to be different rather than something that would add value to the book.Too many, I feel, of the recipes require exotic ingredients (parsnips, raw pork belly, chestnut puree, anchovy juice, dried mission figs for example). I don't even know where I would find some of these locally. And I'm one with 9 varieties of flour on hand.There are no baker's percentages included with the recipes. Since I rarely want to make the exact amount of bread indicated (I like to make at least 2 kilos per batch), I'm slowly building and writing in the baker's percentages as I go.Since I do tend to make larger batches of dough, those recipes that utilize a Dutch Oven require adaptation. It would have been nice to have alternate explanations for options other than the Dutch Oven.So, while I wouldn't include Bien Cuit in my top 5 favorite bread books, it does have some interesting aspects. Jeffrey Hamelman’s “Bread” still tops my list.

As a professional baker in one of my earlier careers, I am always on the lookout for books that can add to my knowledge on baking and pastry. Lately, I've gotten back into the craft of bread-making as a passionate hobby. In addition to my own recipe books, I have added books from Nancy Silverton and Ken Forkish to my library. Both have their merits, but I am really excited about the Golper book.His style of writing is very economical, to the point and expresses a clear viewpoint - the darker roast, hence the title Bien Cuit. I've worked through a couple of the recipes, and his poolish and biga style starters.The book is well written and especially simple in its layout which I appreciate. There is a section in the back after the recipes on techniques with clear and simple pictures on things like fold and stretch, scoring, baking in Dutch Ovens, etc.I quite admire the beautiful look of the black pages with light type and I am not one to annotate books with writing on the page (I hate that!) - but if you are that kind of person, you will need to buy a silver ink pen or...skip this book. Which is pity because the recipes are flavorful and you will learn a great deal about making bread from it.The binding has been deliberately left exposed. I thought this was innovative especially given the subject matter and approach. My copy shipped in a cardboard box designed for the book and it can be stored in that box. Very happy with it. A new favorite!

Stunningly presented book with a wide variety of breads, good instructions and gorgeous images. That said, this is not a book for those who are looking for quick and easy bakes. The simple loaf is a three day process, start making the starter on a Friday evening and the bread is ready to eat on Sunday evening or Monday morning. The breads I have tried have all been great tasting, fantastic texture and look great and while don't require much input it takes a lot of time.The instructions are mostly good and explanatory with clear photos of the process leaving you guessing very little as to what you are meant to do. The recipes are straight forward but do get better once you have tried them a few times learning the best consistencies of the breads but generally stickier is better.This could have been better with a few more basic recipes as for example there's a number of scones recipes but not a single plain one. It is also worth knowing that you need a pizza stone, a skillet and a dutch oven (large cast iron casserole to us Brits) to be able to do most of these recipes. All in all it is a good book and may be the perfect addition to your library with a good range of recipes and techniques.

I love the recipes in this book! It was the second book on bread-baking I bought (after Tartine No 3) and seeing the different formulas (e.g. Zach Golper lets the leaven mature for much longer than Chad Robertson, also the percentage of leaven used in the recipes is different from Chad Robertson) finally gave me the confidence to start playing around with recipes and ratios myself. My only two gripes with the book are that (i) the bread recipes yield a loaf that is just a tad too big for a standard Dutch Oven and (ii) as gorgeous as the book is, the lack of a sturdy spine is really annoying and the book looks in much worse shape than books I have had for longer but that had a spine.

Un buon libro se si cercano varianti e idee sugli impasti arricchiti (frutta, semi, patate, zucca...).Io l'ho acquistato per i pani dolci, scones e quant'altro e devo dire che le varianti stimolano alla creatività sia l'artigiano che l'hobbista esperto; la parte finale (pp.280-311) è dedicata alle tecniche, le pieghe e la lavorazione a mano sono ottimamente descritte con un bell'impianto fotografico.La cosa che lascia maggiormente interdetti in questo libro è la sua struttura, perché si è deciso di non montare il dorso rigido (la spina) e di lasciare la rilegatura in bella vista: ad una prima occhiata fa l'effetto di un libro usato e danneggiato, ma è un effetto voluto. Una scelta piuttosto azzardata, visto che leggendo le recensioni su Amazon.com molti consumatori statunitensi si lamentano di uno scollamento totale dei fascicoli dopo un uso prolungato.Non amo molto questo design che priva un oggetto delle sue parti necessarie: è come se mi si proponesse una buona auto, ma senza paraurti e nulla che li sostituisca, solo per mettere in scena uno spirito d'avanguardia un po' superficiale.

Love it but be prepared for a weekend project. Most recipes require 15 to 24hrs for resting time not counting prepping the starters which takes about 4 or 5hrs plus any mixing,rolling, tucking, stretching, folding or shaping.. These are truly artisan breads. This is NOT an add a package of yeast recipe book. Wouldn't have it any other way.

Not what I was expecting. I was expecting groundbreaking recipes, old recipes made new again and also was expecting sourdough and high hydration bread but this book is just regular dry bread and scone recipes that are nothing special. The book is beautifully made and the photography is nice but I am not blown away by the recipes or execution.