The folks who are largely responsible for the resurgence of good bread in the US (Peter Reinhart, Daniel Leader, even Bernard Clayton) all acknowledge their debt to Elizabeth David in general and this book in particular. With good reason. This book was Elizabeth David's Frankenstein. It isn't my favorite of her books, but I think that it's her best. Certainly it was the book she worked the hardest on - and when we're talking about Elizabeth David, that's saying something. ( )

If you can thing of something to make which either contains yeast, or is some form of bread it will be covered here. David goes through the history of bread making and the background of each form of bread etc is explained. The recipes are often short, and could confuse someone not familiar with the methods used. However they invariably work, and the collection is as near to definitive as its scoe allows. A wonderful book for anyone who loves bread. ( )

1st British ed. Endpaper drawings by Lady Llanover from Good Cookery 1867. ( )