Breaking Bread: Step by Step to Perfect Muffins, Biscuits, and Loaves is a collection of more than 80 delicious and easy-to-make recipes by Norma Borelli, veteran baker and author of Bake Yourself Happy: Cookie Recipes for Beating the Blues.The first chapter is a perfect crash course for baking novices, although experienced bakers might learn a few things too. It features an explanation of ingredients, a guide to choosing the best ones and how to properly store them, what type of equipment is needed, tips on measuring, proper baking techniques, and much more. Do you know the difference between a sifter and a sieve? Which you should use? Borelli has the answers and she shares them with you here. The remaining chapters are devoted to inventive recipes for muffins, biscuits, scones, quick breads, and yeast breads that are easy to make but never taste simple. There are year-round and seasonal favorites, all of them with fragrant aromas and other sensory pleasures to delight you. You'll also find clever recipes to use up leftover breads, such as savory Italian Croutons and Crispy Cinnamon Sticks. Interested in an easy-to-make treat hot out of the oven? How about Cinnamon-Pecan Coffee Cake or Banana Peanut Butter Bread? Like to treat your sweetie to something special for Valentine's Day? Cinnamon-Orange Heart-Shaped Biscuits are the perfect aphrodisiac. Not in the mood for something sweet? Whole-Wheat Cardamom-Nut Bread fits the bill for a simple-to-make tasty loaf to spread with melting butter.Muffins are a hit for a nutritious snack or breakfast, and here you'll find recipes for new takes on these delectable delights. Start the day with freshly-made Bacon and Cheddar Muffins or aromatic Apricot-Pineapple Muffins. Titillate your taste buds with Lemon-Thyme Muffins or Ginger-Pear Muffins.Anyone who loves bread is sure to find surprises in Breaking Bread, from fun classics like Giant Chewy Pretzels to reinventions of classics, like Ghoul-Busting Garlic Focaccia. Borelli also includes a bit of interesting history about bread and doles out just enough of her entertaining wit and engaging humor to amuse, adding an appealing touch to her already appealing recipes. In the book's introduction, she points out some of the benefits of baking and promises that "Not only can you have bread that's free of preservatives and other scary things you can't pronounce but knowing you nurtured a few ingredients into a plump and fragrant loaf can make you feel so capable and homey, you'll want to crochet afghans for your pet hamsters."Breaking Bread: Step by Step to Perfect Muffins, Biscuits, and Loaves is a comprehensive baking book that is wonderfully easy to use. Recipe instructions are clear, well-organized, and thorough. Recipes have been tested multiple times and include details for yield, preparation time, and baking time, along with other useful tips.Beautiful photographs make a good cookbook complete, and Breaking Bread has many tempting pictures to lure you. The photo of the Luscious Lemon Loaf? Bring on the tea. I'm ready to dig in! Scottish Date Scones? Heat the oven and hand me a mixing bowl. I'm raring to bake and you will be too when you get your hands on a copy of Breaking Bread.
Norma Borelli is the author of Bake Yourself Happy: Cookie Recipes for Beating the Blues. She is a former columnist for the Monterey County Herald and lives in San Jose, California, where she has often volunteered as a baking teacher.
