The excellent photography and design we have come to expect from the food titles from publishers Dorling Kindersley is once again in full swing in Bread. Written by Eric Treuille, who runs the Books for Cooks cookery school in London, and Ursula Ferrigno, who is well known to many in Ireland thanks to her cookery classes here, it takes the same polyglot theme as the other DK titles, offering us breads from countless countries, with everything from Daktyla - Greek village bread - to Fougasse - Provencal hearth bread - to Ballymaloe soda bread included in the mix. The instructions are good and clear, the text confined almost exclusively to setting out the steps involved in each type of baking. This means there is no strong authorial voice in the book, but as a manual of ideas and techniques it is impressive. It is strange that the authors advise using yeast to make a sourdough starter, which many bakers consider unnecessary, and I found it curious that a recipe for Carta di Musica - the famous Sardinian "music paper" bread - is given, without telling how the bread is used. As it is now possible to buy Carta di Musica in some shops and markets, it is useful to know the best ways to enjoy it, so see this week's In Season.
Bread, by Eric Treuille and Ursula Ferrigno is published by Dorling Kindersley, price £16.99 in the UK