Introduction

To my bread tasters:

I hope it wasn’t too much trouble.

The goal of this book is simple: I want everyone with the desire to bake bread to be able to read the instructions contained within and create a bakery-quality loaf of bread on your first try—no matter if this is the first or fiftieth attempt at doing so. I fully appreciate the monumental challenge inherent in this objective; however, at the same time, I recognize that this goal is wholly achievable so long as one key ingredient is present: detailed, step-by-step instructions with plenty of photos that describe and depict not only what to do but what you should be thinking about, anticipating, smelling, feeling, and ultimately, tasting as you bake great bread.