King Arthur Flour: Whole Grain Baking

By JULIETTE ROSSANT It is almost Christmas time -- big cookbook time. Encyclopedic cookbooks can be useful because they offer many recipes for any given ingredient, and they have room for background, helpful hints, and explanations. The best of them do not only stick to standards but show the same kind of creativity found in slimmer, more personal volumes. For the same reason you might need a good dictionary or an old illustrated Encyclopedia Britannica to help settle a heated discussion at the dinner table on date of Escoffier's birth (October 28, 1846) or consult Larousse Gastronimique about the difference between "coddled" and "curdled," such tomes fill in the gaps. It is exciting to wander through the huge King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking (Countryman 2006). The new volume covers everything from yeast breads, sourdoughs and pies to cookies and quickbreads. It is vast. But the one thing missing is a stern, preaching tone about the importance of eating whole grains. In fact, a chapter called Whole Grains (p. 537), with nutritional information about each of the grains used in the recipes is saved for the back of the book. This is a book for cooks who know whole grains are good for them and want better, lighter, more creative ways to add whole grains to baked goods. Of course, this is a book for home cooks, and one that stays within the bounds of American cookery. Yet, there is something energetic and spirited about the book. The author, namely the King Arthur Flour Company, a Vermont-based, employee-owned producer of high quality flour, writes: If you're interested in making your own pastry and defying every perceived notion of what whole grain baking is like, this is the place to start. It takes a little extra time, but the steps are simple and the results are immensely satisfying. (p. 499) The pastry in question is Classic Whole Wheat Puff Pastry: A Primer (pp. 501-504). Even though it is a long recipe that needs some time, it begs to be made since you can't buy frozen whole grain puff pastry, and few if any patisseries carry Classic Whole Wheat Croissants (pp. 504-505). Don't you want to know if they really are delicious? If you have taken sides in the transfat debate and want to cut back, then steer clear of Bisquick and take a few minutes to make up a batch of Homemade Whole Grain Pancake Mix (p. 4). It contains oatmeal, whole wheat flour, and vegetable oil and will last indefinitely (just like the store-bought kind). When you make your pancakes up, they suggest using a little orange juice along with milk or buttermilk, since it tends to counteract the tannic taste of whole wheat flour. There are plenty of fun, odd recipes like Tropical Quinoa Custard (p. 117) with mango and ginger, and Spelt Pita (p. 150). There are homey recipes for Lemon-Raspberry Flummery (p. 125) and Blackberry Grunt (pp. 110-11) and plenty of wonderful recipes for Autumn fruit and maple sugar that will fill any kitchen with hungry children. And there are serious recipes for yeast and sourdough breads with excellent line drawings for the novice baker by Laura Hartman Maestro for Kneading a Sticky Dough by Hand (pp. 282-3) and Ciabatta Integrale (pp. 224-225). So get this book before Christmas for a treat healthier than the usual Christmas fruitcake this year. Book details: Publisher Amazon.com Barnes & Noble Previous articles: Cookbooks: King Arthur Flour, Karen Barker [Cookbook Reviews - complete] Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging, cookbooks, cookbook reviews, cookbooks superchefblog --> back to superchefblog