W

2010 Top Ten

Bread Bakers
in America presented by

For the first time, Dessert Professional has delved deeply

into the world of artisan bread to name the Top Ten Bread
Bakers in America. This group of distinguished bakers has
mastered the art and technique of creating the perfect loaf—
that elusive combination of flavor, texture and appearance.
Though their backgrounds and approaches to baking may
differ, one characteristic was common to all the bakers on our
list: their willingness to share recipes and information and
to teach others about their craft, with the goal of improving
the quality of bread in America. Following is a short profile
of each of our Top Ten Bread Bakers in America, as well as
recipes. We also include a profile of Tom McMahon, our first
honoree for the Bread Bakers’ Hall of Fame.

37
pastry

How many types out the delicate balance between what

of bread do you I like in a bread and what the customer
make? Nearly 40 will put their money down for. Those

Tom Gumpel
different varieties, two entities often conflict.
shapes and sizes.
If you weren’t making bread, what
Panera Bread Favorite type of would you be doing? Fishing, even if it
bread to make: didn’t pay.
Owner: Publicly held Whole grain loaves
6710 Clayton Road, with starters and If you had to characterize yourself as
soakers. a type of bread, what would you be?
Richmond Heights, MO A straight, lean dough with minimal
845.264.1564 Favorite bread to complexity, properly proofed and well
eat: The perfect baked. Because, simplicity in life and
www.panerabread.com baguette. bread yields the best results.

Bread philosophy: What’s next? Getting a loaf of bread in

Business profile: Panera Bread is a
bakery café concept that is deeply rooted
in the passion for great bread.
How it all began: I began baking bread
informally at home at my mother’s side
and professionally when I was 17 in a
bakery.
What are you trying to do differently?
We are committed to staying grounded
in the fundamentals of quality bread
making. In a world where new
technologies and ingredient additives
promises better quality and time-saving
38 measures, sticking to the fundamentals
is ‘different’.
Making bread is
the best medium
for learning,
not only due to the fermentation and
ingredient complexities, but because
you will always have tomorrow to make
it better.
Signature products: The Asiago Bread
and Bagels are examples of trend setting
and lustful breads. Our French baguette
(when executed well) is awesome!
Best compliment you’ve ever received
about your bread: An empty bread
basket.
Best part of the bread business: The
most fascinating part of the business
(and often most frustrating), is figuring
every arm.
What direction do you see the bread
baking industry heading? Clearly,
new technologies and high quality are
beginning to connect for many bread
makers. The realities are that we are
a long way off from excellence. With
mounting pressures around labor and
ingredients, more creative solutions will
percolate up. Having great bakers in
leadership positions will ensure a future
for quality breads and baked goods.
French Baguette

2010 Top Ten Bread Bakers in America

with Poolish
Poolish:
.07 oz/1.7 g dry yeast (.1% bp)
4 lb/1.814 kg bread flour (100% bp)
4 lb/1.814 kg water (100% bp)

Combine dry yeast with flour; add

water and mix by hand until well
blended. Allow to ferment 12-16 hours
at 70°F. Poolish is ready when it has
domed slightly on top and it just begins
to recede.

Final dough:
8 lb/3.630 kg Poolish (124.8% bp)
8 lb/3.629 kg bread flour (100% bp)
4 lb/1.814 kg water (50% bp)
.9 oz/25.4 g dry yeast (red) (.7% bp)
3.8 oz/108 g salt (2.96% bp)

1. Combine Poolish with remaining

ingredients. Mix at first speed for
6 minutes, then second speed for 2
minutes.
2. Allow to ferment for 25 minutes.
Fold over and allow to ferment for 35
minutes more.
3. Divide dough into 15 oz/425 g pieces.
Gently pre-shape into cylinders. Rest
for 30 minutes.
4. Shape into baguettes with pointed
ends.
5. Preheat oven to 440°F. Score three
times, overlapping, down center of
baguette. Pre-steam oven for 10 seconds.
Place baguettes in oven. Use extra
steam, if needed. Vent oven after 15
minutes. Bake for 20-22 minutes in total.

39

pastry
Jeffrey Hamelman
The King Arthur Flour Bakery
Owners: The employees of the
King Arthur Flour Company
135 US Route 5 South, Norwich,
Vermont 05055
802-526-1870
www.kingarthurflour.com
Business profile: We are a big little
bakery, with eight full time bakers, one
part-time baker, and one extern, and we
make a full array of breads and pastries
from scratch. About two-thirds of our
production sells at the King Arthur retail
store, and the rest goes to our wholesale
customers. We have intentionally kept
our wholesale deliveries very local for
environmental reasons, and we are
fortunate that we can generate one-third
of our gross sales with a 12 mile daily
delivery route.
When did you first start making bread?
My first baking job began at 6 AM
Wednesday morning, September 1, 1976.
What are you trying to do differently?
I’m still trying each day to perfect the
products and techniques that were
developed hundreds of years ago by our
40 baking forbearers.
How many types of bread do you
make? Over the course of the week, we
make about 24 different kinds of breads,
some each day, and others once or twice
each week. We are certified organic,
and about one-third of our breads are
organic.
Favorite type of bread to make: I
enjoy the individual characteristics of
different breads, and the fact that each
has subtle needs that differentiate it
from other breads. I don’t really have
one favorite type of bread that I make.
I don’t believe I will ever tire of the
wonderful act of making bread.
Favorite bread to eat: I enjoy breads
made with 100% rye flour, 100% white
flour, and most everything in between.
My favorite breads to eat are those that
are made with skill and care.
Bread philosophy: Bread creates a
space for sharing, and although it no
longer contributes the same caloric and
nutritive value that it formerly did (since
people eat less bread now than in years
past), bread remains an immensely
important part of our collective diet. I
believe that bread bakers are true public
servants, and as such are important
members of their community and of
society as a whole.
Signature products: Nougat Montélimar
and Panforte, made with honey from my
honeybees, have been well-received at
holiday times for many years.
Best compliment you ever got about
your bread: Years ago when I owned
a bakery in Brattleboro, Vermont, a
woman left me a crumpled note that said
“Mr. Hamelman, your bread has saved
my life. Thank you.” It was anonymous
and I never knew who wrote it.
Best part of the bread business:
Providing nourishment and pleasure to
people of all ages.
If you weren’t making bread, what
would you be doing? I am a baker. It’s
what I am. When the shoe fits, the foot
is forgotten.
If you had to characterize yourself as
a type of bread, what would you be? I
was invited to a Halloween party once,
where you had to dress up as your
ultimate fantasy. I came dressed as a loaf
of rye bread!
What’s next? I’d like to develop a
program that enables young bakers
to work at different bakeries in North
America and overseas, so that our
collective baking expertise increases.
What direction do you see the bread
baking industry heading? Today’s
baking world is filled with many positive
signs. There are so many more competent
bakers now than there were when I
began. Bakers tend to be very open and
generous with their knowledge, and
this is helping the overall evolution of
our trade. And initiatives to bake with
locally-grown grains are becoming a
national phenomenon, which is quite a
significant and positive change.
Flax Seed Rye Make the soaker by pouring the water over the old bread and

2010 Top Ten Bread Bakers in America

flax seeds. Cover the soaker with plastic to prevent evaporation.

Dough Yield: 20.161 kg Final dough:

Sourdough:
8.8 lb/4 kg whole rye flour (100% bp)
7.3 lb/3.320 kg water (83% bp)
14.1 oz/400 g culture (10% bp)
Approximately 16 hours before the mix, disperse the sourdough
culture into the water, add the rye flour and mix till smooth.
Cover with plastic and leave at room temperature to ripen.
Soaker:
2.2 lb/1 kg flax seed (100% bp)
28.2 oz/800 g old bread (79.8% bp)*
6.6 lb/3 kg water (300% bp)
*Note: Any hearty whole grain loaf can be used.
13.2 lb/6 kg Sir Galahad flour
3.76 lb/1.71 kg water
7 oz/200 g salt
4.6 oz/130 g yeast
16.1 lb/7.32 kg sourdough
10.56 lb/4.8 kg soaker
1. Mix the final dough by adding all the ingredients to the mixer
(first remove a portion of the rye to perpetuate the culture).
If using a spiral mixer, mix on first speed for 3 minutes to
incorporate ingredients. Check the hydration and correct as
necessary: the dough should have a moderate looseness. Mix
on second speed for about 4 minutes. Gluten development
will be moderate. Desired dough temperature: 76-78°F. Bulk
fermentation: 1 hour.
2. Divide and shape round or oval loaves of desired weight.
Final proof: 50-60 minutes. Bake in a steamed oven at 450°F for
about 36-40 minutes (for a .68 kg loaf).

41
pastry
Business profile: Breadhitz strives
to inform and educate both amateur
and professional artisan bread bakers
through our instructional DVDs, books,
workshops, and consulting.
How it all began: My first memories of
bread baking are from grade school. Our
class grew a small plot of wheat which
was then harvested and brought to a
local miller to have it ground into flour.
From that flour we made our own loaves
of bread and I suppose that moment
marked the start of my bread education.
However, it was many years later
that I began baking in a professional
setting during my apprenticeship in
Switzerland in 1991.
What are you trying to do differently?
I am constantly concerned that my
bread looks as good as it tastes, so I like
to experiment with decorative shaping
and other bread techniques that can set
my loaves apart.
Ciril Hitz How many types of bread do you
make? Since my work does not revolve
around a production schedule, I am free
Breadhitz to bake a wide range of artisan breads
and breakfast pastries, from whole
Owner: Ciril Hitz grain breads to sourdoughs to laminated
www.breadhitz.com products and everything in between.
Too many to count!
Favorite type of bread to make: It might
not actually be my favorite to make, but
the bread which I respect the most and
keeps me humble is the classic French
baguette. It takes a lot of experience and
skill for a baker to combine the simplest
of ingredients and turn them into
perfectly shaped baguettes that are full
of flavor. In my opinion, it’s the ultimate
test of a baker – a test that I am constantly
taking as I strive for the “perfect bake”.
Favorite bread to eat: That depends
on my mood and the time of day. I like
to eat baguette with some good cheese,
European butter, and a glass of red
wine. I like to eat most any type of rye
bread, either with cured meats or butter
and raspberry jam (childhood calling
again). For breakfast, I like to enjoy a
true morning classic: a bagel with cream
cheese (and lox!).
Bread philosophy: To sum it up into
one phrase: nothing beats long, slow
fermentation.
Signature products: I suppose most
people would say that my decorative
42
bread work initially helped me to gain
recognition in the field and industry.
Along the way I have become very
comfortable with the artisan side of
baking and I truly enjoy the challenge of
working with long and slow fermented
doughs. In a perfect bread, I try to marry
beauty with taste.
Best compliment you’ve ever received
about your bread: While it’s nice to
hear that people love a bread you make,
I think the ultimate compliment as an
educator is when a former student
comes to me with stories about how
well their bread is received by their own
customers. Of course it always feels
good when your own family loves your
bread!
Best part of the bread business: The
bread business has been around for
thousands of years, so job security might
be one of them. All kidding aside, I think
that bakers are generally a very relaxed
and generous group of people who
enjoy their craft and like to share their
knowledge. I learn so much from my
fellow bakers and I am lucky to have so
many great colleagues.
If you weren’t making bread, what
would you be doing? I think I would
either be a pastry chef or a ceramic artist.
If you had to characterize yourself as
a type of bread, what would you be?
I make a multi-grain rustic loaf with
hazelnuts (I call it ‘Totally Toasted
Hazelnut Bread’). I think that would be
me: a little nutty with a twist of Swiss
flavor.
What’s next? I might write another
book in the future (to follow up the first
two). My wife and I are also hoping to
set up a small classroom on our farm
to teach baking workshops. Other than
that, I like the fact that life has a way of
keeping things fresh. I can’t wait to see
what’s around the bend!
What direction do you see the bread
baking industry heading? Good bread
in America is here to stay. Every quality
artisan bakery not only serves as an
ambassador of good bread, but also fills
an educational role, too. People are
learning more about the qualities of
good bread and as this trend continues
(which I believe it will), the need for
skilled artisan bakers will grow.
Country Sour

2010 Top Ten Bread Bakers in America

Final weight: 15 lb, 6.9 oz/7 kg
2.64 kg/5 lb, 13.1oz bread flour (90.1% bp)
10.4 oz/295 g medium rye or whole rye flour (.9% bp)
4 lb, 13.6 oz/2.2-2.4 kg water (96°F) (74.9% bp)
2.3 oz/66 g salt (2.2% bp)
.14 oz/4 g SAF yeast (13% bp)
3 lb, 11 oz/1.675 kg white starter 60% (57% bp)
1.4 oz/40 g fresh chopped rosemary (optional) (1.3% bp)

1. Mix all of the above ingredients on first speed for 4 minutes.

2. Mix on second speed for 1 minute.
3. Bulk ferment for 45 minutes, then give one stretch and fold.
4. Bulk ferment for an additional 45 minutes.
5. Divide into 500 g increments and work like a baguette as a
pre-shape. Let rest for 20-30 minutes.
6. Rework into very long baguette and roll into opposite
directions creating an “S” and place on a couche that has
been floured.
7. Proof for 60 to 75 minutes.
8. Bake at 480º F for 30-35 minutes.
9. Open the door with 5 minutes to go to build a crust.

43
pastry
Jim Lahey
Sullivan Street Bakery
Owner: Jim Lahey
533 W 47th St
New York, NY 10036
212-265-5580
www.sullivanstreetbakery.com

Business profile: Trying to give meaning to bread.

How it all began: When I was 16 I made bagels and

fried cannoli shells in Long Island.

What are you trying to do differently? Show how

bread is important by distinguishing ourselves
through carefully executed culinary activity.

Favorite type of bread to make: Hands down, the

Bianca or anything naturally leavened.

Bread philosophy: Less is best.

Signature products: Pizza Bianca or filone, for

sure, or almost anything that looks almost burnt.

Best compliment you’ve ever received about

your bread: I’ve received so many that they’ve
blended into some meaningless blob of goodness.

Best part of the bread business: Making it all

work.

If you weren’t making bread, what would you be

doing? Playing with my kids.

If you had to characterize yourself as a type of

bread, what would you be? A really burnt filone.
Rough and crusty on the outside and moist and
chewy on the inside. But, somehow, when you
chew me up it all makes sense – malty, bitter, moist,
chewy, warm, pleasant, flaky, crunchy as well as
satisfying and nourishing.

What’s next? A new book on baking.

What direction do you see the bread baking

industry heading? It’s still rather industrial, I
suppose. I think that artisan bread as a concept or
selling point is bland and useless and ultimately
defeatist if the bread that one makes sucks, and the
vast majority does. I’d like to see micro-bakeries
44 succeed, where industry falls short; quality.

Pane Integrale:
Whole Wheat Bread
Yield: One 10-inch round loaf; 1 ¾ pounds
Equipment: A 4 ¾ to 5 ¾ quart heavy pot
10.6 oz/300 g bread flour
3.5 oz/100 g whole wheat flour
1 ¼ tsp/8 g table salt
½ tsp/2 g instant or other active yeast
10.6 oz/300 g cool water (55-65°F)
Wheat bran, cornmeal or flour for dusting
1. In a medium bowl, stir together the flours, salt, and yeast. Add
the water and using a wooden spoon or your hand, mix until
you have a wet, sticky dough, about 30 seconds. Cover the bowl
and let sit at room temperature until the surface is dotted with
bubbles and the dough is more than doubled in size, 12 to 18
hours.
2. When the first rise is complete, generously dust a work
surface with flour. Use a bowl scraper or rubber spatula to
scrape the dough out of the bowl in one piece. Using lightly
2010 Top Ten Bread Bakers in America
floured hands or a bowl scrapper or spatula, lift the edges of
the dough in towards the center. Nudge and tuck in the edges
of the dough to make it round.
3. Place a tea towel on your work surface and generously dust
it with wheat bran, cornmeal, or flour. Gently place the dough
on the towel, seam side down. If the dough is tacky, dust the
top lightly with wheat bran, cornmeal, or flour. Fold the ends
of the tea towel loosely over the dough to cover it and place it
in a warm, draft-free spot to rise for 1 to 2 hours. The dough is
ready when it is almost doubled. If you gently poke it with your
finger, it should hold the impression. If it springs back, let it rise
for another 15 minutes.
4. Half an hour before the end of the second rise, preheat the
oven to 475 degrees F, with a rack positioned in the lower third,
and place a covered 4½ to 5½ quart heavy pot in the center of
the rack.
5. Using pot holders, carefully remove the preheated pot from
the oven and uncover it. Unfold the tea towel and quickly but
gently invert the dough into the pot, seam side up. (Use caution-
the pot will be very hot.) Cover the pot and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove the lid and continue baking until the bread is a deep
chestnut color but not burnt, 15 to 30 minutes more. Use a
heatproof spatula or pot holders to carefully lift the bread out
of the pot and place it on a rack to cool thoroughly. 45
pastry
Daniel Leader
Bread Alone Bakery
Owners: Daniel Leader and
Sharon Burns-Leader
3962 Route 28, Boiceville,
NY 12412
845-657-3328
www.breadalone.com
Business profile: Bread Alone is a dynamic and interesting
business where our primary goal is baking organic whole grain
breads that are shipped to hundreds of people and places in the
New York Metropolitan area. But, Bread Alone is also a diverse
business; in addition to our hearth-baked breads, we also make
cookies and cakes using locally grown fruits as well as flaky
croissants and rich chocolate tortes that we serve in our cafes,
located in Woodstock, Rhinebeck and at the main bakery in
Boiceville. We are also a central figure in the many farmers’
markets that we attend in the Hudson Valley and New York
City area, and over the past several years, we have published
three baking books; Bread Alone, Local Breads, Panini Express
and the upcoming Simply Breads.
How it all began: In college, I was devoted to the Tassahara
Bread Book and I wowed my friends with fresh, hot bread that
was probably overbaked and underproofed, but made with the
passion of youth and thus what may have been an ordinary loaf
was elevated to the makings of a counter cultural movement
towards all things ‘natural’.
What are you trying to do differently? After so many years
of baking, I have found that it is very important to keep things
fresh! That is not a silly baker’s joke, I really have found that
I need to remember every day to approach the dough, the
production, the staff and the café with a new eye and not get
caught up in old, bad habits. I am constantly looking out for a
more efficient way of doing each task and for baked items that
I didn’t think to include in the long line of breads that we bake.
How many types of bread do you make? We are currently
baking 23 different types.
Favorite type of bread to make: I continue to be intrigued
by levain. The whole wheat sourdough seems to maintain
its woodsy seduction throughout the entire baking process,
leaving a loaf of bread that is impossibly light and moist.
Sometimes, as I walk around the back of the bakery, I can just
get a whiff of the levain coming out of the oven and it remains
distinct among all the familiar smells. It never fails to bring a
smile.
Favorite bread to eat: Same. Oh, I’ve had my dalliances with
the baguette, it’s crisp crust and holey interior being amongst
the superior experiences of the world. But when it comes down
to it, and I get home from a long day of baking, or traveling, I’m
always happy to cut a slice of levain, spread some grainy mustard
and a sharp piece of New York cheddar on it and sit by the
46
garden enjoying life!
Bread philosophy: Bread should be enjoyed. For a while we
used the tagline ‘Break Bread – Make Peace’, and people really
liked the message. It really speaks to the reason that I began
baking and why I continue to enjoy what I do. Everyone can
relate to bread and nearly everyone who comes to my shop
has a story to tell about why they like a particular loaf or how
this loaf is the same as or different from the loaf that their
German/Polish/Jewish/Irish/French/Italian or South African
mother/grandmother used to make! I listen with interest and
amusement and wonder to myself how many variations of this
have I heard? How many variations are there? It’s endless and
always fascinating.
Signature products: Our French Sourdough (levain) and our
Whole Wheat Sourdough (miche).
Best compliment you’ve ever received about your bread: By
far the most wonderful compliment is also one of the saddest,
“This is better than my grandmother’s,” or “My grandmother
would have loved this bread.”
Best part of the bread business: After a long trip away, pulling
up to the bakery, opening the car door and being able to smell
the bread baking. Like all thing familiar, you stop noticing the
smell when you are around it day after day.
What’s next? I am focusing ever increasingly on the quality of
each loaf. In a busy artisan bakery it is easy to let your attention
to each loaf slip a little bit each day. I am always on the lookout
for ways to help my staff stay attentive to the details.
What direction do you see the bread baking industry
heading? Perhaps there will be growth both in the industrial
baking industry with some of the new technology that I see
at the international baking shows and yet also I believe there
will be growth in the owner-operated artisan bakeries. Buying
‘local’ has become more than a buzz word, it has become an
important decision making tool for many communities. We
are servicing many public schools in our area and that was
something unheard of only a few years ago. But the parents
have pressured their school boards to attend to the cafeteria
menu and so the kitchen managers have created bid-lists
that make it possible for an artisan bakery to compete with
institutional bakeries whose items are shipped interstate and
frozen.
Apple Cider Bread reaching the masking-tape mark, 2 to 3 hours. It will feel firm
but springy and less sticky.

2010 Top Ten Bread Bakers in America

5. Heavily dust a banneton or a colander lined with kitchen
Apple cider levain (mix 8-12 hours before final dough): towel with flour. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured
3.56 oz/101 g organic bread flour countertop. Flour your hands and shape it into a round by
3.2 oz/91 g water tucking the edges of the dough underneath the bulk, as if you
1.48 oz/42 g apple cider are making a bed, to shape a rough round. Place your hands on
.7 oz/20 g liquid levain (52%) either side of the round and move them in tight circles as you
pull the dough toward you. If the dough sticks to the counter,
Combine all ingredients and mix on low speed until smooth lightly dust the counter with flour again. These simultaneous
dough forms. Place the dough in a clean 1-quart container and movements will pull any rough bits under the ball and create
cover it. Let the apple cider levain stand to ferment at room a taut “skin” around it. Don’t worry about making it perfectly
temperature for 8 to 12 hours. It may have already risen and round, but be sure to pinch the bottom edges to seal. Place the
begun to deflate and it will be riddled with air pockets. round, pinched side up, in the banneton or colander, dust it
with flour and cover loosely with plastic
wrap.
6. Let the dough stand at room
temperature until it is pillowy and has
doubled in size, 2-3 hours. When you
press your fingertip into the dough, the
indentations will spring back slowly.
7. About 1 hour before baking, place a
baking stone on the middle rack of the
oven and a cast-iron skillet on the lower
rack. Preheat the oven to 470°F.
8. Line a baker’s peel or rimless baking
sheet with parchment paper. Uncover
the loaf and tip it out onto the peel or
sheet, guiding it with one hand for a soft
landing. With a single-edged razor blade
or serrated knife, make 4 straight slashes
about 1 inch from the edge to form a
square-shaped frame. Do not connect
the score marks or the crust will rupture
where they intersect.
Cutting mixed grain loaves.
9. Slide the loaf onto a baking stone. Place
¾ cup of ice cubes in the skillet to produce
steam. Bake until the crust is walnut brown, 40 – 50 minutes.
Final dough: A large loaf like this needs to be fully baked, especially if you
17.6 oz/500 g organic bread flour
6.6 oz/188 g water
6.6 oz/188 g apple cider
8.9 oz/254 g Apple Cider Levain (from
above)
.45 oz/13 g sea salt
1.9 oz/55 g cranberries

1. Mix together the flour, water and cider

and until a smooth dough forms. Allow to
sit 20 minutes (autolyse).
2. Add Apple Cider Levain and salt. Mix
on low 2 minutes to incorporate levain.
Increase the speed to medium and knead
for 7 to 8 minutes, until the dough is smooth
and very elastic. Add the cranberries and
blend until fully incorporated.
3. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled,
clear 2-quart container with a lid. With
masking tape, mark the container at the
level the dough will reach when it has
doubled in volume. Cover and leave it to Levain loaves with ovens being fired.
rise at room temperature (70 – 75°F) for 1
hour. It will inflate only slightly. want a good crust, so don’t hesitate to add an extra few minutes
4. Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured counter. With of baking time if necessary.
floured hands, lift the top edge of the dough and fold it so that 10. Slide the peel or the rimless baking sheet under the
it lands in the center of the mass. Lift the bottom edge and fold parchment paper to remove the loaf from the oven slide the
it so that it meets the top. In one fluid motion, slide both hands loaf, still on the parchment, onto a wire rack. Cool the loaf
underneath the dough, turn it over so the fold is underneath, completely, about 2 hours, before slicing. To serve, halve the
and slip it back into the container. Cover the dough and let loaf, then cut slices from each half. Store it cut side down on a
it rise until it expands into a dome twice its original size, plate or cutting board. 47
 Busniess profile: Uptown Bakers is a wholesale bakery
pastry
specialized in the production of artisan breads and traditional
breakfast pastries delivering products to the Mid-Atlantic
region. Red Brick Consulting is a consulting company that helps
bakeries of any size around the world in all aspects of baking.
Red Brick Consulting also assists baking schools worldwide in
teaching artisan bread baking knowledge to students.

When did you first start making bread? I started baking

bread 25 years ago in France. I apprenticed in the Southwest
of France (Toulouse area), then went to work for Club Med in
several hotels around the world. After a few years, I went back
to France to get a Master Baker’s degree at the Institut National
de la Boulangerie Pâtisserie. I then came to the U.S. and worked
successively for Bay State Milling Company, the National
Baking Center, the San Francisco Baking Institute and Uptown
Bakers.

What are you trying to do differently? Set up processes that

respect the integrity of the dough and that can be applied to
large production without penalizing the final product. This
involves ingredients and equipment selection, but also the
training of the bakers.

How many types of bread do you make? Currently we are

mixing about 30 different types of daily. Each dough is then
used to produce different products of different shapes and
weights.

Favorite type of bread to make: Baguette, because it is the

most simple, traditional, but yet the most challenging bread to
Didier Rosada
make. Everything must be right, from the type of flour, to the
Uptown Bakers/Red Brick
mixing and fermentation of the dough, the shaping, and finally Consulting
the baking.
Owners: Mike Mc Cloud
Favorite bread to eat: Baguette and ciabatta, because their and Didier Rosada
subtle and complex flavor can accommodate and be combined
with any type of food. 5335 Kilmer Place,
Hyattsville, MD, 20781
Bread philosophy: Keep it simple and genuine. Respect the
quality of the product. 301-864-1500
www.uptownbakers.com
Signature products: Miches. It is baked with respect to the
tradition, using a combination of flours and several preferments.

Best compliment you’ve ever received about your bread: “It is

like it used to be in the good old days.”

Best part of the bread business: Working with so very little

and such simple ingredients and creating such a complex final
product in conditions that can change daily.

If you weren’t making bread, what would you be doing?

Probably traveling and discovering new cultures and their
culinary traditions.

If you had to characterize yourself as a type of bread, what

would you be? Probably a baguette, very simple, authentic and
that can go along with a lot of things.

What direction do you see the bread baking industry heading?

Going back to more traditional breads, but also getting more
and more into the technicality of the nutritional functions of
bread.

What’s next? To keep on enjoying baking, teaching and

48 consulting around the world.
Baguette with Wheat Germ 17.6 oz/500 g fine whole wheat (5%)

2010 Top Ten Bread Bakers in America

15.432 lb/7 kg water (70%)
Note: percentage following amount is the baker’s percentage. 9.5 oz/270 g salt (2.7%)
Yield: 65 baguettes .88 oz/25 g dry instant yeast (.3%)
17.6 oz/500 g toasted wheat germ (5%)
Sponge: 1.76 oz/50 g malt (.05%)
6.366 lb/2.888 kg bread flour (80%) 13.2 lb/6 kg sponge (60%)
25.46 oz/722 g fine whole wheat (20%) Total = 23.845 kg (238.45%)
4.2 lb/1.906 kg water (66%)
.1 oz/3 g salt (.1%) 1. Using spiral mixer, mix ingredients for 5 minutes to medium-
.1 oz/3 g dry instant yeast (.1%) soft consitency. For second mixing, mix to improved mix.
Total = 6 kg (166.2%) Ferment for 2 hours (73°F).
2. Divide into 350 g portions. Roll portions into rectangles and
Mix until all the ingredients are combined. Do not overmix. let rest for 30 minutes.
Allow to ferment 10 to 12 hours at room temperature (70°-75°F). 3. Shape each portion into baguette and let proof for 1 hour
seam-up on a flour-dusted linen.
4. Score baguettes with criss-cross. Bake with steam at 460°F
Dough:
for 22 minutes.
20.94 lb/9.5 kg bread flour (95%)

49
pastry
Busniess profile: Amy’s Bread is a neighborhood bakery in the
middle of a big city. Although our staff and production have
grown, we still feel like a small, local gathering place. You can
come in and enjoy great bread, delicious morning pastries,
sandwiches, cakes and other sweets, but we’re still a bread
bakery at heart.
How it all began: I made my first loaf when I was 13, but didn’t
bake a substantial amount of bread until 1989 when I started to
study bread baking.
What are you trying to do differently? I am really focused on
making sure we have a great workplace for our employees. We
take good care of our staff, and at last count, 24 our bakers have
stayed for between 9 and 18 years! These long-term bakers help
supervise the daily production and ensure that the quality of
the bread is the best it can be every day. They take great pride
in their work and (mostly) enjoy working behind the large glass
windows in Chelsea Market where everyone can watch us
making our products. The glass storefront keeps us on our toes!
How many types of bread do you make? We mix 25 different
kinds of dough each day, and each one is made into 2-5 different
products, so our selection is vast!
Favorite type of bread to make: I usually like to make wet,
sticky dough like Rustic Italian because it looks like it will
never come together, and then, voila! It finally takes shape and
becomes gorgeous, holey bread.
Favorite bread to eat: I love grainy breads. My current
favorite (this changes regularly) is my new Peasant Wheat with
Toasted Seeds Roll, a mild whole wheat bread with pumpkin,
sunflower, flax and sesame seeds inside, and a toasty coating of
the same seeds and a bit of sea salt on the outside. It’s crunchy,
chewy, nutty, toasty, and delicious.
Bread philosophy: From simple to complex, good bread starts
with well chosen flour, a perfectly fermented starter, plenty
of water, and the right balance of salt and other ingredients.
Given ample floor time at a moderate temperature, the bread
dough develops the complex aromas and flavors ready to be
released from this fermenting mixture. An intuitive baker and
a good oven are the other ingredients that make good bread.
Signature products: The bread we are best known for is
Semolina with Golden Raisins and Fennel. Our Black Olive
Twists and Chocolate Sourdough Twists are also very unique
and have many fans.
50
Amy Scherber
Amy’s Bread
Owner: Amy Scherber
75 Ninth Avenue, New York, NY 10011
(and multiple locations)
212-977-2670
www.amysbread.com
Best compliment you’ve ever received about your bread:
French people telling me that my bread is better than their
favorite bread in France. (French tourists flock to my bakery
because we are raved about in their guide books!)
Best part of the bread business: Bread bakers are interesting
characters. They are hard working, a bit crazy, and usually
quite willing to share ideas and secrets with their colleagues
and competitors. I really love the camaraderie among bakers
and their openness with each other. It’s a very unique business
that allows this kind of connection and admiration among
people that compete with each other in the industry.
If you weren’t making bread, what would you be doing?
Lately I have had a chance to do some gardening and have
really enjoyed it, so I think I would be a vegetable and flower
gardener if I weren’t baking. Gardening reminds me of bread
baking: It’s hard work, it takes lots of endurance to get all the
work done, you need to work with your hands and stand on
your feet for long periods of time, there is a lot of heavy lifting,
it’s hot work on a summer day (like standing in front of the
bread oven), and the end result is very gratifying.
If you had to characterize yourself as a type of bread, what
would you be? I would be a Whole Wheat Walnut loaf. I am
glossy deep brown (that’s the dark hair), crunchy (that’s the
protective exterior that helps me run a bakery), grainy and
healthy (interested in healthful eating), slightly sweet (from a
dab of honey) and a little nutty.
What’s next? We need more space. So I guess that means
growing into a bigger bakery one of these days! Where and
when is still to be seen.
What direction do you see the bread baking industry
heading? These are some trends that I have seen recently:
People still love bread, but they also love sugar. Bakeries today
must provide customers with more than bread. If they have
retail stores, they are expected to offer sweets, sandwiches,
beverages—a full range of products besides bread. As much
as people talk about whole grain breads, white breads like the
baguette still outsell all others by a large margin. We get lots of
requests for breads for special diets like gluten free, wheat free,
etc. Restaurants have cut back on their bread baskets or have
stopped offering bread in the more casual concepts. Bread is
here to stay, but expect to see fewer or simpler bread baskets
in restaurants, and bakeries with 5 or 6 kinds of bread to offer,
and a huge case full of sweets to keep their customers happy!
Semolina Bread

2010 Top Ten Bread Bakers in America

with Apricots
and Sage
Made with Biga Starter

Makes three 1-pound

round loaves
Equipment: baking stone and wooden
peel, one 17 x 12-inch sheet pan

This lovely golden bread is both sweet

and savory. Apricots sweeten the loaves
and chopped fresh sage adds an earthy,
grassy flavor. It is similar to our Semolina
with Golden Raisins and Fennel in
shape, color, and texture. We form and
cut the bread into a sunflower—a special
shape we make for all the holidays. It
also makes a unique gift because it looks
so pretty. We like to serve this Semolina
with Apricots and Sage with fish or
poultry, and we’ve even diced it to add
to Thanksgiving turkey stuffing. With
its crunchy cornmeal crust and dense,
almost cakelike interior, this bread is
sure to please.

8 oz/227 g dried apricots, diced

2 oz/57 g very warm water (105º to 115ºF)
1 tsp active dry yeast
12.5 oz/355 g cool water (75ºF)
10 oz/284 g Biga (see below)
18.35 oz/520 g patent durum flour
6 oz/170 g medium yellow cornmeal
.56 oz/16 g kosher salt
.25 oz/7g fresh sage leaves, chopped
Extra cornmeal, for sprinkling

1. Place the apricots in a large measuring

somewhat resilient. The dough will still the dough in the middle of the bowl with
cup, and add warm water to come just
be somewhat firm. Put the dough back your fingertips, then fold the left side
below the top of the fruit. Set aside to
into the mixing bowl, cover with oiled over the middle, and the right side over
soak.
plastic wrap, and let rest for 20 minutes the middle. Fold the dough in half, gently
2. Combine the very warm water and
to smooth out and develop elasticity. pat it down, and then turn it over so the
yeast in a medium bowl and stir with a
6. Drain the apricots. Spread out the seam is underneath. Let it rise again for
fork to dissolve the yeast. Let the mixture
dough in the mixing bowl and evenly 40 minutes to 1 hour, until it doubles in
stand for 3 minutes.
sprinkle on the chopped sage and diced volume. When the dough is fully risen,
3. Add the cool water and biga to the
apricots. Press them into the dough, then an indentation made by poking your
yeast mixture and mix with your fingers
pull the dough from the edges of the bowl finger deep into the dough should not
for about 2 minutes, breaking up the
and fold it in toward the middle. Knead spring back.
starter. The mixture should look milky
the dough in the bowl until the fruit and 9. Divide the dough into three equal
and slightly foamy.
sage are incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes. pieces, about 510 grams/18 ounces each.
4. Whisk the flour, ¾ cup of the cornmeal,
7. Gather the dough into a loose ball, lift it Shape each piece into a boule.
and the salt together in a large bowl. Pour
up and oil the bowl, then place it back in 10. Place the remaining ¾ cup cornmeal
in the yeast mixture and mix with your
the bowl, along with any loose apricots. in a bowl. Using a plant mister, spray
fingers until the dough forms a sticky
Turn the dough to coat with oil, cover each loaf generously with water, then
mass. If the dough feels too stiff, add cool
the bowl with oiled plastic wrap, and let roll the loaves in the cornmeal, coating
water 1 tablespoon at a time.
it rise at room temperature (75º to 77ºF) them completely. Place the loaves on the
5. Move the dough to a very lightly floured
for 1 hour. work surface and press down gently to
surface and knead for 5 to 8 minutes,
8. After 1 hour, turn the dough while it is flatten them into disks about 8 inches in
until it is smooth, elastic, supple, and
still in the mixing bowl. Gently deflate diameter.
51
 11. Line a peel and cover a baking sheet
pastry
with parchment paper and sprinkle with
cornmeal. Place one disk on the peel and
the others on the baking sheet, leaving
at least 4 inches between each loaf. If
you don’t have a baking stone, place one
loaf on one baking sheet, and two on the
other to rise. Let the loaves rise for 45
minutes to 1 hour.
12. Thirty minutes before baking, preheat
the oven to 425ºF. Prepare the oven by
placing a cast-iron skillet and a smaller
pan (a mini loaf pan) on the floor of the
oven or on the lowest possible rack in
an electric oven. Place an oven rack
two rungs above the cast-iron pan, and
if you have one, put a baking stone on
the rack. Place another oven rack on the
rung just below the stone. Fill a plastic
spray bottle with water. Fill a teakettle
with water to be boiled later, and have a
metal 1-cup measure
with a straight handle
available near the
kettle.
13. Five to 10 minutes
before the loaves are
ready to bake, turn the
water on to boil, and
carefully place two or
three ice cubes in the
small loaf pan in the
bottom of the oven.
This helps to create
moisture in the oven
prior to baking.
14. Place an inverted
mug or glass with a 3-
to 4-inch opening in
the center of one disk.
Press it gently into
the dough, and use a
dough cutter to cut the
dough into 4 wedges,
starting at the edge of
the glass. Cut those wedges in half, then in
half again, so you have 16 segments. Give
each cut segment a quarter-turn so a cut
side is facing upward. If the dough feels
too sticky, don’t twist the segments—just
leave them fl at and separate each one
slightly from the one next to it. Remove
the glass, leaving an uncut area in the
center of the loaf. Repeat the procedure
with the other 2 disks. Let the loaves rest
for 10 minutes before baking.
15. Make sure the parchment is not
sticking to the peel, open the oven door,
and gently slide the bread onto the stone.
Place the pan of bread on the rack below.
Or if using two baking sheets, place one
on the upper rack and one on the rack
below that. Quickly mist the loaves with
water 6 to 8 times, pour 1 cup of boiling
water into the skillet, and immediately
shut the oven door. After 1 minute,
52
quickly mist the loaves with water again,
then shut the oven door.
16. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the
oven temperature to 375ºF and bake for
15 to 18 minutes longer, until the loaves
are a golden yellow-brown and sound
hollow when tapped on the bottom. The
crust should be firm but not too dark;
watch the bread carefully—it will brown
quickly during the last few minutes of
baking. Place the loaves on wire racks
and cool completely before serving.
TIPS AND TECHNIQUES
Unbleached all-purpose flour with a
protein content of 11.7% was used in
the biga. We recommend using medium
cornmeal for this dough. Fine cornmeal
does not produce a contrasting texture,
and coarse cornmeal is too rough and
makes the bottom crust very tough. Bob’s
Red Mill produces medium cornmeal
and corn grits (polenta). Both work well
for this dough.
Biga Starter
Many of our recipes use a biga starter
made from flour, water, and a small
amount of yeast. Biga, which is the Italian
word for starter, was called Sponge
Starter in the first version of Amy’s
Bread, but today the word biga is well
known by bread bakers so we decided to
use it here as well. Biga usually refers to
a starter made with yeast, not sourdough,
although sourdough biga (biga naturale)
can be found in some Italian recipes.
This starter, which is thicker than
poolish, is allowed to ferment for at least
8 hours. It can then be used immediately
or stored in the refrigerator, covered
with plastic wrap, for up to 24 hours. We
like breads made with biga because they
have a moist, chewy texture with more
flavor, a nicer crust, and a longer shelf
life than straight yeasted breads. These
are many of the same qualities that make
sourdough breads so appealing, but you
can achieve them without the extended
process of making a sourdough starter.
Small Batch
Makes 400 grams / 14 ounces / 1¾ cups
7 oz/200 g very warm water (105° to 115°F)
1/8 tsp active dry yeast
8 oz/227 g unbleached all-purpose flour
Large Batch
Makes 800 grams / 28 ounces / 3½ cups
Equipment: one 2-quart clear plastic or
glass container with high sides
14 oz/397 g very warm
water (105° to 115°F)
¼¼ tsp active dry yeast
16 oz/454 g
unbleached all-
purpose flour
1. In a medium bowl,
C
mix the warm water
and yeast together a
and stir to dissolve the
yeast. Add the flour
and stir vigorously
o
with a wooden spoon
for 1 to 2 minutes, until
a smooth, somewhat
elastic batter has
formed. The batter
will be fairly thick and
stretchy; it gets softer
and more elastic after
it has risen. Scrape
the biga into the
container, mark the height of the starter
and the time on a piece of tape on the
side of the container so you can see how
much it rises, and cover the container
with plastic wrap.
2. Let it rise at room temperature (75º to
78ºF) for 6 to 8 hours. Or let it rise for 1
hour at room temperature, then chill it in
the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight.
Remove it from the refrigerator and let it
sit at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours
to warm up and become active before
use. Biga should more than double in
volume. If you use the starter while it’s
still cold from the refrigerator, be sure
to compensate for the cold temperature
by using warm water (85ºF to 90ºF) in
your dough, instead of the cool water
specified in the recipe. Use the starter
while it is still bubbling up, but before it
starts to deflate.
 www.ConfectioneryArts.com
Edible

Confectionery Arts International has over 3000 products

and has the industries finest price point, and there is only
one way to find out, call us for a quote!

1-877-PASTRY3 7 2 7 - 8 7 9 3

• Adjustable valve for low to high pressure cooling

• Endorsed by pastry and chocolate professionals
• Non flammable Formulation
• Leaves no residue 53
 What are you trying to do differently? We are
pastry
always working on expanding our artisan bread
footprint to offer consumers a wide variety of high
quality breads to meet their daily needs. For example,
we now offer a line of Artisan Sliced Breads which
are great for making everyday sandwiches. Our Bake
at Home and Take ‘n Bake lines allow consumers the
benefit of baking our bread in their own ovens, for
hot bread at the table at any time. For the last several
years we have been offering seasonal items based on
the best of the season’s ingredients.

How many types of bread do you make? Now it’s

over 100 varieties of bread.

Favorite type of bread to make: Focaccia. I am

working on teaching my chefs at Mozza 2 Go, our
take-out concept, how to make it. You can top your
focacce with just about anything you want, olives
and garlic, tomato and anchovies, grapes and goat
cheese.

Favorite bread to eat: White Table Bread is my

classic favorite, or Sourdough Batard.

Bread philosophy: Great bread, in my opinion,

takes time. It takes patience and care. You have to
be dedicated to the baking process. But the rewards
are great. Using high-quality, all natural ingredients
is very important, but minimally as not to get in the
way of the essential flavors of sourdough or wheat.

Signature products: Rosemary Olive Oil, Country

White, Olive Bread. Our Whole Grain breads
because of their healthful benefits.

Nancy Silverton Best compliment you’ve ever received about

your bread: In the mid-90’s our Sourdough Loaf
La Brea Bakery was part of a blind taste test by the San Francisco
Chronicle. It went up against some of the premier
Owner: Aryzta, AG – Founder, bakeries in the west, and won. Twice. Even though
Nancy Silverton it is a common misconception that sourdough
bread is a San Francisco invention, it is definitely
15963 Strathern Street, Van Nuys, well known there. It was quite a surprise to
everyone that a bakery from Los Angeles won.
CA 91406
818-742-4242 Best part of the bread business: Hearing the
personal stories from our customers about their
www.labreabakery.com own traditions and how they love our breads. I
guess it’s knowing that we are bringing more than
just bread to their tables.

If you weren’t making bread, what would you be

doing? I would still be cooking in some way. This is
what I love to do, and all I really know how to do.
Business profile: I founded La Brea Bakery in 1989. La
Brea Bakery is now the leading U.S. producer of par-baked
What’s next? We will continue to listen to our customers
artisan breads distributed to foodservice and grocery
and what they want, and then expand our selection of
retail businesses.
offerings from here.
How it all began: I first started making bread in the early
What direction do you see the bread baking industry
1980’s while I was the pastry chef at Spago. Unfortunately
heading? The rest of the industry is following suit of what
at that time I did not have any bread making skills, just a
we have been doing for over 20 years; all-natural artisan
recipe to follow. It wasn’t until I undertook the challenge
breads. Breads have cleaner labels with less artificial
of creating a full line of breads for La Brea Bakery that I
ingredients. Flavor profiles are becoming more diverse.
really began my education as a bread maker.
Whole grain offerings are being expanded. And we are
54 starting to see whole milled grains and flours.
The Basic Loaf:

2010 Top Ten Bread Bakers in America

Country White
1 lb, 2 oz/510 g cool water, 70°F
12 oz/340 g White Starter (see recipe in: Nancy Silverton’s
Breads From the La Brea Bakery)
2 lb, 2 oz/964 g unbleached white bread flour, plus extra for
dusting
¾½ cup raw wheat germ
4 ½ tsp sea salt
Vegetable oil

1. Place water, White Starter, flour, and wheat germ in the

bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on low speed
for 4 minutes. The dough should be sticky and pliable. (The
dough may also be mixed by hand). Cover the dough with a
proofing cloth and allow it to rest in the mixing bowl for 20
minutes.
2. Add salt and continue mixing on medium speed, scraping
the dough down the sides of the bowl as necessary with
a rubber spatula, until the dough reaches an internal
temperature of 78°F, and feels soft and resilient. Knead the
dough for a few minutes by hand on a lightly floured work
surface.
3. Clean the mixing bowl and lightly coat it with vegetable oil.
Returned the dough to the oiled bowl, cover it tightly with
plastic wrap, and let it ferment at room temperature until it
doubles in volume, 3-4 hours.
4. Uncover the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured
work surface. Using a dough cutter, cut the dough into two
equal pieces. Slap each piece against the work surface a few
times to deflate. Tuck under the edges of each piece, cover the
dough with a cloth, and let rest for 15 minutes.
5. Uncover the dough and round each piece into a boule.
Place the boules, smooth side down, into floured proofing
baskets. Cover each basket with a cloth and let the dough
proof at room temperature until it begins to show signs of
movement (it should rise about 1 inch), 1 ¾-2 hours.
6. Remove the cloth and sprinkle the surface of the dough with
flour. Wrap each basket tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate
8-12 hours.
7. Remove the boules from the refrigerator, take off the plastic
wrap, and cover each basket with a cloth. Let the dough
continue proofing at room temperature until it reaches an
internal temperature of 58°F, about 2-2 ¾ hours.
8. Preheat the oven to 500°F, one hour before baking. Remove
the cloth and lightly dust the boules with flour. Carefully run
your hand around one boule to loosen it and gently invert it
onto a lightly floured baker’s peel. With a single-edged razor
blade held perpendicular to the boule, slash a backward “C”
on top of the boule. Each cut should be ¾” deep and begin about
1” from the top of the boule, curving down to the bottom edge.
Open the oven door, spritz the oven heavily with water from
a spray bottle, and quickly close the door. Open the oven door
again, slide the boule onto the baking tiles, and quickly close
the door. Cut, spritz, and load the second boule in the same
manner.
9. Reduce the oven temperature to 450°F. Spritz the oven two
more times during the next 5 minutes. Refrain from opening
the oven door for the next 20 minutes.
10. After 20 minutes, check the boules and rotate them if
necessary to ensure even baking. Continue baking for 15 to 20
more minutes, for a total of 40 to 45 minutes.
11. Remove the boules to a cooling rack. The finished boules 55
will have a burnished brown crust.
pastry
Business profile: We bake That doesn’t
and deliver the best bread really answer the
that we can make every day question but I just
to people who ask us for it. thought I’d put it
out there.
How it all began: I first
started baking bread as a S i g n a t u r e
hobby when I was working products: I guess
at Chez Panisse restaurant our Pain au Levain
during my first stint as a and baguettes
student at UC Berkeley. are the most well-
Eventually the bread I known of our
was making was better breads. But we
than what the restaurant don’t sign them.
could find, so Alice asked
if I would bake bread for Best compliment
the restaurant. Soon other you’ve ever
shops and restaurants were received about
asking if they could get better bread as well, so my wife your bread: The fact that people
and I opened Acme Bread as a way of filling a void in the still want it and keep buying it is
food community that the most gratifying
we were part of. compliment I
could imagine.
What are you trying Compliments that
to do differently?
Since
revolve
our goals
around
Steven Sullivan had the most impact
on me, personally,
were probably those
baking the best
The Acme Bread Company that came while I
bread that we can, Owners: Steven and Susan Sullivan, was baking bread at
we expand only in Chez Panisse and
response do actual Doug Volkmer, Rick Kirkby, Drew would fill in for a sick
demand and typically Westcott, & Claudio de Rezende busboy. So I would
only by allowing end up serving bread
existing employees to 2730 Ninth Street, Berkeley; that I had baked to the
buy into the company 1601 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley; customers and then I
as owners. We do not would see them eat it
advertise or market The Ferry Building, San Francisco; and then they would
our bread. Since we 846 Independence Avenue, ask me where it came
think of bakeries from. The looks on
as serving actual Mountain View people’s faces when
communities, when they heard that the
we have expanded
510-843-2978 busboy had baked
into a new area and their bread were
required additional priceless.
production we
have built a Best part of the
fully functioning bakery in that location, rather than bread business: The fact that you can make the very
centralizing production in an ever-larger facility. best possible bread and that virtually anyone can afford
it. Also, that somehow our niche of the bread business
How many types of bread do you make? A couple of seems to allow a lot of great bakeries to succeed and
dozen. coexist without having to become vicious, greedy, and
exploitative.
Favorite type of bread to make: Naturally-leavened
breads (sourdoughs). If you weren’t making bread, what would you be doing?
Maybe I would be an architect or an archeologist.
Favorite bread to eat: In our area there are too many
good bakeries making too many good breads to name just What direction do you see the bread baking industry
one. But our Pain au Levain is an old friend and a great heading? I see a continuation of the trend away from
all-around bread. industrial, factory-made bread and towards carefully-
made breads, made by skilled bakers for their own
Bread philosophy: I love bread and I love making things. communities.

56
57
2010 Top Ten Bread Bakers in America

pastry
Jeff Yankellow
Simply Bread
Owner: Basic Food Group, LLC
2117 N. 24th Street,
Phoenix, AZ 85008
602-244-1778
www.simplybread.com
Photos by Joe Burns
Business profile: Simply Bread is a wholesale bakery with an
artisan bread line serving the Phoenix metropolitan area. The
customer base is made up of supermarkets, restaurants, resorts,
and specialty markets.
How it all began: I have been in the food business since I was 14
years old. I always had a passion for baking bread, but pursued
a career in cooking first with dreams of owning a restaurant
one day. About 11 years ago, I made the switch and have been
baking bread ever since.
What are you trying to do differently? I am motivated by
something once said by one of my mentors, Charlie Trotter. It’s
not my priority to be the best at what I do but more important
to be the only one doing what I do. Basically what that means
to me is that my bread and the bakery is a reflection of me and
my style, which has developed over time and been influenced
by what I have learned from the people around me throughout
my career. Within that style I try to do everything I can to
make bread to the highest standards I know. This idea goes
throughout the whole business. It is reflected in our customer
service, the professionalism of our drivers, how we answer the
phone, and how we treat our employees. No job is too small and
every person in the organization is important to the success of
the business.
58
How many types of bread do you
make? We mix about 25-30 different
doughs on an average day. Within
each type there are numerous shapes
and sizes. During the farmers’ market
season I try to add a few different
varieties each week as specials to
keep the regulars interested and
excited.
Favorite type of bread to make: I
think my all-time favorite bread to
make is the classic French baguette.
When something is so simple, there
is no opportunity to hide any faults
in the final product. It is one of the
hardest breads to make consistently. I
like the challenge, and no matter how
many I make, I always want to make
the next one better than the last.
Favorite bread to eat: The bread I like most is
ciabatta. I love the flavor, the texture, and the
versatility. It is compatible with any food.
Bread philosophy: My philosophy on bread is
simple. I have always loved bread because in
my mind it is one of the few foods that exist in
every part of the world and culture regardless
of socioeconomic factors. I have always been
fascinated with the idea that a few basic
ingredients can be transformed into something
so different than the original ingredients. I
appreciate all types of bread from plain and
simple to complex. The one thing that is a must
for me is that regardless of what is added to the
bread such as seeds, or nut, or fruit, the actual
base bread has to be able to stand on its own
even without those ingredients. We are using the word artisan
to describe a process that at one time was the only way bread
was made. It had to be made that way because of the lack of
technology and ingredients. I want to make bread in a way that
uses modern technology and processes but pays respect to the
techniques and traditions of the past.
Signature products: Just like most chefs, my signature item
was not something I planned. We make a cranberry walnut
bread that has white and whole wheat flour, rye sourdough,
organic walnuts, organic jumbo raisins, cranberries, cracked
wheat, and cracked rye. My intentions were to create a bread
that was full bodied and substantial but also appealed to the
indulgent side of people. Just like all of my breads it is made
from a well fermented dough that is complemented with the
addition of high quality ingredients. I haven’t met anyone
that hasn’t liked it. My Challah and Raisin Challah have also
become a signature. It may not be what most people think of
when they think of ‘artisan bread’, but it is made in the same
style as our other breads. It has a lot of prefermented flour in
the formula resulting in complexity of flavor and aroma. It’s
sweetened primarily with a desert wildflower honey from
Flagstaff, Arizona, about two hours north of the bakery. The
final bread is very moist and has a lot of body to it; its not just
fluff. We use an organic jumbo Thompson raisin for the Raisin
Challah which is something a lot of people have never seen
before.
Best compliment you’ve ever received
about your bread: I think the best
compliment came from a woman who
walked into our retail store and by her own
admission was almost brought to tears
when she tasted a loaf that reminded her
of the bread she ate as a child. It doesn’t
say much about the bread actually but it
means that the bread made an emotional
connection with her which is a very good
feeling to see.
Best part of the bread business: The
people. Bakers are a humble breed, in
my opinion. I get to work with so many
great people every day. My best friends
are bakers and they are the most sharing
group of people I know.
If you weren’t making bread, what
would you be doing? I would probably be
cooking. I spent 10 years
cooking before I turned to
baking. I still love to cook
but as a profession I enjoy
making bread.
If you had to characterize
yourself as a type of
bread, what would you
be? Ciabatta – it displays
the key characteristics
of humility, pride, and
respect. The humble
appearance doesn’t
scream for attention,
but once you tear it
open, the crust reveals a
complex web of texture
and flavors that has
developed over a long
period of fermentation. Challah roll.
It pays respect to the
tradition of artisan baking
in that it uses long fermentation to achieve a result that would
Green olive bread.
2010 Top Ten Bread Bakers in America
Cranberry walnut raisin.
otherwise not be possible.
From four to five simple
ingredients a mass of flour
and water becomes a fully
developed bread. This is the
same as my career path. I have
gotten to the place where I am
today as a result of hard work,
education and nurturing from
a lot of people. Over time all
of these ingredients have
culminated in the development
of me as a baker and a person.
What’s next? I don’t know
what the future holds for
sure other than growing the
business and focusing on the
details, so that with growth,
quality continues to improve
and not decline. Currently my
bakery is primarily wholesale
with a very small retail outlet.
One day down the line I may like to open a small neighborhood
bakery.
What direction do you see the bread
baking industry heading? I think that
smaller local bakeries will continue to
establish themselves in neighborhoods
around the country. Artisan bread is only
a small part of the overall bread market in
this country, and I don’t think that is going
to change drastically any time soon. But I
do think the appreciation for artisan bread
and other artisan foods will continue to
grow, as the appreciation for local and
pristine ingredients continues to grow. I
think this demand will influence the larger
operations and force the more commercial
bread producers to change for the better.
59
 Sesame Flame 29.38 oz/833 g Whole Wheat Sponge (34.8% bp)
pastry
30.8 oz/876 g Liquid Levain (36.7% bp)
63.73 oz/1.807 kg water (75.6% bp)
Dough yield: 10 kg 21 oz/597 g natural brown sesame seeds (25% bp)

This is a bread that I made for the Coupe du Monde de la 1. In the bowl of a spiral mixer or a vertical planetary mixer
Boulangerie in Paris in 2005. The hydration level is very high with the hook attachment place all of the preferments and the
resulting in a thin crisp crust and a very irregular crumb final dough ingredients, with the exception of the sesame seeds
structure. The whole grains in the bread, combined with the and water. Adjust the water temperature so the final dough
flavor of the seeds will result in a very nutty flavor. The shape temperature is 73°F-76°F.
was unique for me because typically doughs of this hydration 2. Add 85-90% of the total water to the bowl and begin mixing
are simply cut as a square or rectangle because it is difficult to in first speed for 3-5 minutes or until the ingredients are
handle such soft dough. incorporated. Turn the mixer off and allow the dough to rest
for 15 minutes. Turn the mixer to low speed for 1 minute. The
Spelt poolish: dough should have a soft but firm consistency. Turn the mixer to
42.15 oz/1.195 kg bread flour, winter wheat 14.5% protein (70.6% bp) high speed for 2 minutes or until the dough begins to pull away
17.56 oz/498 g whole spelt flour from the sides
(29.4% bp) of the bowl.
59.7 oz/1.693 kg water (100% bp) As soon as this
.07 oz/2 g instant yeast (.1% bp) begins to happen
start adding
Adjust the temperature of the the remaining
water so that the final temperature water while the
of the poolish is 72°-74°F. Place the mixer is running
water in the bowl with the flour in high speed.
and yeast and mix in slow speed When the water
until the ingredients are well is incorporated,
blended. Place the mixed poolish stop the mixer and
in a bowl and allow it to rest check for gluten
covered at 73°F for approximately development. The
12 hours. Be sure to allow room for gluten should be
the poolish to grow 2 to 3 times in at a medium stage
volume. of development.
Adding the water
Whole wheat sponge: in two stages will
17.56 oz/498 g whole wheat flour Sesame flame crumb. allow this dough
(100% bp) to develop more
11.78 oz/334 g water (67% bp) efficiently. Turn the
.035 oz/1 g instant yeast (.1% bp) mixer back to slow speed and add the sesame seeds. Mix until
the seeds are well distributed.
Adjust the temperature of the water so that the final temperature 3. Place the dough in a covered container and leave at room
of the sponge is 72°-74°F. Place the water in the bowl with the temperature, approximately 74° F for a total of 2 hours. After 30
flour and yeast and mix in slow speed until the ingredients are minutes punch and fold the dough and return to the container.
well blended. Place the mixed sponge in a bowl and allow it Repeat this step after another 30 minutes, and again 30 minutes
to rest covered at 73°F for approximately 12 hours. The sponge after that.
will grow 2 to 3 times in volume. 4. At the end of the 2 hours divide the dough in1 lb, 4 oz/550g
pieces and preshape as a loose ball. Cover and allow the dough
pieces to rest for 20 minutes.
Liquid levain:
5. Shape the rested balls of dough into a tight batard, being
14 oz/398 g bread flour, winter wheat 14.5% protein (100% bp)
gentle not to damage the cell structure of the dough too much.
14 oz/398 g water (100% bp)
To finish, using a bench knife cut the dough pieces along the
2.8 oz/80 g white starter (20% bp)
center, lengthwise, leaving 1 inch on each end uncut so that the
final piece resembles an eye when pulled gently apart. Place
Adjust the temperature of the water so that the final temperature
the cut sides of dough into a pan of sesame seeds and place the
of the levain is 72°-74°F. Place the water in the bowl with the
piece of dough onto linen to proof with the sesame seeds facing
flour and starter and mix in slow speed until the ingredients are
down. Place the loaves in a draft free place at approximately
well blended. The starter is a mature white starter fed the same
74° F for 20-30 minutes to proof. Alternately, the dough can be
way as the levain. Place the mixed levain in a bowl and allow
cut simply as would be done for a ciabatta. The proofing is very
it to rest covered at 73°F for approximately 12 hours. The levain
short due to the high water content and weak structure of the
will double in volume.
dough.
6. Turn the loaves over onto the oven loading device, and
Final dough: arrange so that the piece looks like a flame, by positioning the
84.3 oz/2.39 kg bread flour, winter wheat 14.5% protein (100% bp)
opposite ends of the bread in opposing directions. Bake with
.35 oz/10 g instant yeast (.4% bp)
steam at 475° F for approximately 30 minutes. Vent the steam
3.5 oz/100 g salt (4.2% bp)
from the oven and continue to bake for an additional 5 minutes.
7.47 lb/3.388 kg Spelt Poolish (141.7%)
Remove the bread from the oven and allow to cool.
60
 2010 Top Ten Bread Bakers in America
2010 Bread Bakers’
Hall of Fame Honoree:
Tom McMahon Left to right:
the late Lionel
Poilâne, Melinda
McMahon and Tom
McMahon.

Baking was a second career for Pittsburgh lawyer Tom McMahon. In 1979 he co-founded Breadworks, the first artisan
bread bakery in Pittsburgh. He attended the first Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie, the World Cup of Baking, in Paris
in 1992, and was inspired by the idea that an American team might someday compete in the international event.

In 1993 McMahon founded the non-profit Bread Bakers Guild of America and served as The Guild’s first director.
Under his direction, the Guild community, which began with 458 members, more than doubled in its first ten years.
He was responsible for bringing legendary French bakers Lionel Poilâne, Christian Vabret, and Raymond Calvel to the
United States to share their knowledge with American bakers, and he persuaded master baker Didier Rosada to move
from France to pursue a teaching career in the U.S.

In 1994 the first American team competed in the Coupe du Monde, and in 1996 Bread Bakers Guild Team U.S.A. won a
gold medal in the Coupe -- accomplishments which were the direct result of McMahon’s vision and efforts.

In 1997, McMahon stepped down as Executive Director of The Guild to become Project Director at the National Baking
Center. In honor of his many achievements in the field of artisan baking, The Guild presented McMahon with the
Lionel Poilâne Award in 2003.

McMahon served as President of the Jury at the 2005 Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie and now lives with his wife
Melinda in Italy, where he bakes bread in a wood-fired brick oven for his family and guests.

61