Andrew Whitley, organic baker and founder of The Village Bakery, reveals the deplorable state into which mass produced bread has fallen, and the secrets behind making good, nutritious bread at home. All is not well in British baking. Commercial bread is laced with additives to make it look good and stay soft. It uses varieties of wheat that have been bred for high yield and baking performance with little concern for human nutrition. To rush it through the bakery at the lowest possible cost, it's dosed with four times as much yeast as before. Described as 'fresh' when it may have been frozen and re-heated, it's sold as a loss-leader at knock-down prices which undermine what little respect it may once have commanded. Even before the Atkins diet frightened people off, there was evidence of a massive growth of intolerance - to gluten, wheat and yeast in particular. Call it coincidence. Dismiss it as hypochondria if you will. But things have come to a pretty pass when people avoid their staple food - the staff of life - in droves. `Bread Matters' offers a solution. Revealing the madness behind this modern adulteration of our most basic food as only an insider can, organic baker Andrew Whitley, founder of The Village Bakery in Melmerby, shows why and how to make real bread at home. Unlike many bread book authors, he has baked for a living for over 25 years. His recipes are fool-proof because he explains what's really going on, demystifying the science, sharing a practical baker's craft. Using the skills he deploys on his popular courses, he guides and inspires beginners and seasoned bakers alike. And he brings good news to those who have had to abandon bread because of dietary sensitivity, showing how to bake tasty and nutritious food without yeast, wheat or gluten.

One of the oldest yet perhaps the simplest and tastiest breads you can make, sourdough needs only flour, water, salt - and a little time. Andrew Whitley shares his simple method for making this deliciously nutritious bread at home.

In "Bread Matters," Andrew Whitley, professional organic baker, founder of Bread Matters, and cofounder of the Real Bread Campaign, exposes the terrible state of modern commercial bread and shares his recipes for making great, nutritious bread at home.
Using the skills he has amassed during more than 25 years as a professional bread baker, Whitley clearly explains the process in detailed discussions of the tools, ingredients, methods, and tricks of the breadmaking trade. He also offers more than 50 foolproof recipes for all types of bread, including yeast-free and gluten-free loaves, as well as uses for leftover crumbs once they've passed their prime.
"Bread Matters" is an essential bread book for beginning and seasoned bakers alike. Once you see how easy it is to make your own delicious bread at home, you may never buy commercial bread again.
"Anyone who understands bread as a transformational food the way Andrew Whitley does, is a friend of mine. In his wonderful book, "Bread Matters," he not only brings this powerful and ancient symbol down to earth and demystifies the process, but also communicates from his heart how anyone can easily participate in the joys and rewards of the bread baking craft." --Peter Reinhart, author of "Peter Reinhart's Whole Grain Breads: New Techniques, Extraordinary Flavor"
"Now and then, a book about food is so revelatory, so shocking, that it is likely to change the industry. Andrew Whitley's new book is such a work." --Rose Prince, "The Daily Telegraph"
"What an important book; passionate and polemical and full of truth. The chapter too on gluten-free baking is original and inspiring." --Bee Wilson, "Sunday Telegraph and New Statesman"
"Whitley gets down to brass tacks about what exactly makes artisan bread healthier and tastier, then offers such alluring cases in point as arkatena from Cyprus...and dozens of others, both savory and sweet." --"Saveur"