Author: Miscovich, Richard

Brand: Chelsea Green Publishing

Edition: Illustrated

Features:

• Ships from Vermont

Binding: Hardcover

Number Of Pages: 352

Release Date: 10-10-2013

Details: Product Description In the past twenty years, interest in wood-fired ovens has increased dramatically in the United States and abroad, but most books focus on how to bake bread or pizza in an oven. From the Wood-Fired Oven offers many more techniques for home and artisan bakers―from baking bread and making pizza to recipes on how to get as much use as possible out of a single oven firing, from the first live-fire roasting to drying wood for the next fire. From the Wood-Fired Oven offers a new take on traditional techniques for professional bakers, but is simple enough to inspire any nonprofessional baking enthusiast. Leading baker and instructor Richard Miscovich wants people to use their ovens to fulfill the goal of maximum heat utilization. Readers will find methods and techniques for cooking and baking in a wood-fired oven in the order of the appropriate temperature window. What comes first―pizza, or pastry? Roasted vegetables or a braised pork loin? Clarified butter or beef jerky? In addition to an extensive section of delicious formulas for many types of bread, readers will find chapters on: •    Making pizza and other live-fire flatbreads; •    Roasting fish and meats; •    Grilling, steaming, braising, and frying; •    Baking pastry and other recipes beyond breads; •    Rendering animal fats and clarifying butter; •    Food dehydration and infusing oils; •    And myriad other ways to use the oven's residual heat. Appendices include oven-design recommendations, a sample oven temperature log, Richard's baker's percentages, proper care of a sourdough starter, and more. . . . From the Wood Fired Oven is more than a cookbook; it reminds the reader of how a wood-fired oven (and fire, by extension) draws people together and bestows a sense of comfort and fellowship, very real human needs, especially in uncertain times. Indeed, cooking and baking from a wood-fired oven is a basic part of a resilient lifestyle, and a perfect example of valuable traditional skills being put to use in modern times. From Booklist It’s safe to say that most of us won’t be baking in a wood-fired oven . . . at least, in the foreseeable future. On the other hand, for bread aficionados and others addicted to the tastes emanating from these kinds of ovens, there’s no better substitute for the knowledge and expertise Miscovich imparts—not to mention the fiftysomething recipes. He begins with the foundations: understanding ovens and fuel, operating guidelines, and all the processes that comprise bread baking, from ingredients to proofing. Every chapter is filled with full-color photographs and, when necessary, step-by-step sequences. Where the author truly excels is in his very thorough explanation of recipes. They’re woven into the text, using a narrative style. He freely gives advice, variations, and commentary on best and not-as-good versions, as well as caveats (e.g., what to expect from a bread starter when it’s been transferred from another region). At times, personal stories appear, from his relationship with the late Alan Scott (a master brick-oven builder and coauthor of the seminal work on wood-fired ovens) to his bout with carpal tunnel syndrome. Thorough and completely engaging. --Barbara Jacobs Review ForeWord Reviews- "Passionate thoughts combine with a spectacular range of ideas for using wood-fired ovens to make this guide a must-have for anyone curious about this well-loved cooking method. Although wood-fired ovens are best known for crispy pizza crusts and rustic breads, they can be utilized for a much wider array of tasks, from drying wood to roasting meats. Richard Miscovich’s extensive guidebook on using these types of ovens celebrates the stunning breadth of tactics while also providing insights into history, homesteading, and masonry. Although there are several guides to building ovens and books that offer baking techniques, it’s Miscovich’s expertise at fusing these two worlds that proves especially helpful. I

EAN: 9781603583282

Package Dimensions: 9.9 x 8.1 x 1.1 inches

Languages: English