Learning the proper technique and order of sourdough baking is essential for soft, fluffy, artisanal loaves. Of course, you can glean much from blogs and videos, but there is something about having one of these sourdough books in your hands to guide you. I have always been drawn to cookbooks for reference, decor, and inspiration, which is why I rely heavily on the following sourdough books to understand the bigger picture of fermenting bread with wild yeast.
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My Favorite Sourdough Books
Super Sourdough
This was my first ever sourdough cookbook. I remember checking it out from the library because I was worried about investing in this book. After flipping through the library’s copy, I knew I needed to take the plunge, spend the money, and dive into James Morton’s world of perfect, crusty loaves. This book held my hand as I learned all the basics and now as a more seasoned baker, I still return to it again and again.
Buy this book if: you’re new to sourdough or want a book with all the classic recipes.
Bread Alone
I found Bread Alone at a local used bookstore and instantly fell in love. This book is focused on European-style, rustic, country breads which will inspire you to try new techniques and flavors. The narrative style of this book will draw you in through stories and musings from the author’s life. I would recommend reading this cookbook as you would a novel, then baking through it as you would a cookbook.
Buy this book if: you’re in a rut and searching for new inspiration
and you want to bake bread like your ancestors did!
Tartine Bread
I couldn’t share my favorite sourdough books without mentioning this classic. This book has hundreds of step-by-step photos and guides to making your own bread. It is incredible for beginners who need detailed pictures and instructions. Additionally, it is such an incredibly gorgeous work, Tartine Bread looks amazing displayed in my kitchen and often inspires my baking.
Buy this book if: you are new to sourdough and need all the colorful step-by-step pictures to guide you.
Sourdough Culture
Sourdough Culture shares the history of sourdough and a few of the author’s favorite recipes along the way. I love the way this book paints the picture of historic bread making and how our food has evolved to what we see at the grocery store today. If you’re passionate about traditionally fermented breads and grains this book will absolutely fuel your fire and if you are still a skeptic, you will leave a sourdough convert.
Buy this book if: you want to learn the why behind sourdough, if you love ancestral food, or if you are skeptical of the fermented bread movement.
New World Sourdough
New World Sourdough is less focused on precise temperatures and exact measurements than other sourdough books, and more on learning the way of the dough and starter. I love that this book teaches readers to understand the process beyond blindly following a recipe and helps them to take ownership of sourdough. Fermented bread can be intimidating when you first encounter all of the steps and “rules”, but New World Sourdough reminds us how simple and approachable the process actually is.
Buy this book if: you want to understand sourdough as a process and not an exact science and eventually learn to make bread without a recipe.
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