Modernist bread
by Nathan Myhrvold · first published 2017
38% recommend54% neutral8% critical
Why HN recommends it
Science-driven guide to bread that explains the biology and physics behind dough and baking, with many techniques to widen a baker's repertoire; suits serious home bakers and those wanting the reasons behind steps.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
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Modernist Cuisine and Modernist Bread by Nathan Myhrvold. And pretty much any formal chef education.
on “Why do recipe writers lie about how long it takes to caramelize onions? (2012)” ↗…weights in grams, and no bakers math needed. It also keeps it simple for the employees, so they don’t have to learn how these ratios work. I’ll also mention that the absolute best book on bread ever is the Modernist Bread set [0]. It’s pricey, but there are extremely well explained reasons behind certain methods, and debunking a lot of long held beliefs such as the efficacy of the autolyse. [0] https://modernistcuisine.com/books/modernist-bread/
on “Baker's Math (2009)” ↗…really digs into the science of bread, and he also offers up an incredibly wide variety of techniques that will really expand your repertoire. Unfortunately, I can't come up with the dough (ha ha) for Modernist Bread...
on “Make your own sourdough” ↗…illustrate the cooking process from a biological and physical level. (Modernist Cuisine at Home isn't nearly as comprehensive, though it shirks a lot of the weird/expensive equipment and additives.) Also Modernist Bread for breads is fantastic and comprehensive. 1. https://www.seriouseats.com/the-food-lab 2. https://forums.egullet.org/
on “Ask HN: What are the best textbooks in your field of expertise?” ↗I'm reading Nathan Myhrvold's excellent Book Modernist Pizza at the moment: https://modernistcuisine.com/books/modernist-pizza/ The book along with its excellent predecessor Modernist Bread and the companion podcasts to both do a great job of both illustrating the history of bread and pizza but also debunking a lot of popular myths about their origin. A lot of pizza (and bread for that…
on “A Proto-Pizza Emerges from a Fresco on a Pompeii Wall” ↗Nathan Myhrvold has a new cookbook about bread: https://www.amazon.com/Modernist-Bread-Nathan-Myhrvold/dp/09.... This complements his prize winning modernist cookbook https://www.amazon.com/Modernist-Cuisine-Art-Science-Cooking....
on “The Physics of Bread” ↗Myhrvold & Company poured cold water on the idea that grapes and raisins help a starter get going in Modernist Bread. I believe they went into detail on a "Bread Crumbs" podcast you can find on Heritage Radio. Probably this episode: http://heritageradionetwork.org/podcast/mother-may-i/
on “Sourdough Hands: How Bakers and Bread Are a Microbial Match” ↗Is this where Myhrvold did his research for the recently published "Modernist Bread"? https://www.amazon.com/dp/0982761058/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_dC-D...
on “Bill Gates' bread lab visit” ↗He has now also written books about bread! https://www.amazon.co.uk/Modernist-Bread-Art-Science-Cuisine...
on “Make your own sourdough” ↗…technology to cooking. That book, which earned a James Beard Foundation Award for "cookbook of the year" in 2012, was followed by the books Modernist Cuisine at Home, The Photography of Modernist Cuisine, and Modernist Bread: The Art and Science, all self-published by Myhrvold and with him as lead author. Myhrvold was part of a team that won first place at the world barbecue championships in Memphis. He has appeared as a…
on “Ultra High Resolution Photos of Snowflakes” ↗I think the point of "additional water" is key! Modernist Bread claims that tangzhong doesn't increase softness/volume. But, as I read their experiment, it sounds like they made breads with/without tangzhong but keeping the total water content constant.
on “Introduction to tangzhong (2018)” ↗Read Calvel on autolyse. He's the person who developed the process. While I can't compare his work (The Taste of Bread) to Modernist Bread (not having read those books), he comes at it from a scientific angle, not just as a baker.
on “Baker's Math (2009)” ↗This comment is gold, and helps me contextualize a “book” which has always intrigued me. What are your takes on the later additions, Modernist Bread and Modernist Pizza? I have the Bread tome, and some of the base recipes have worked out.
on “Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking” ↗Suas' book looks very interesting. Do you know how Modernist Bread compares?
on “The Basic Sourdough” ↗