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More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
Prospect Books' best seller is this handy instruction manual for the ultra-keen breadmaker and DIY enthusiast showing how to build a substantial bread oven in the yard or garden. Together with detailed plans (which do not omit a single block or brick) and a step-by-step specification, the book doubles up as an essay on English bread baking in previous centuries, with special reference to the hardware, equipment and working methods. There is plenty here to interest the reader who is not necessarily going to embark on the building project. The book was first published in 1997 and has had an annual printing since then. It sells at much in America as it does in Britain, although British sales have definitely increased in the last few years. There are other books on the subject, but few give as much historical context. The history of bread is something which is almost entirely ignored in current literature, greatly to its disadvantage. The book closes with a couple of recipes. It was never meant as a cookbook; there are plenty of alternatives, including the same author's Baking Bread at Home (Phoenix). But the enthusiasm for good bread, and for baking it yourself, is still growing and is well served here.
About the Author
Tom Jaine is the publisher at Prospect Books, which he has run since 1993. He has been a restaurateur, an author of cookbooks, editor of the Good Food Guide, and editor of the revised edition of the Oxford Companion to Food.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
26 of 26 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Having read reviews, searched the web for blogs, fora and sites about building a wood fired oven, I thought this book would be the keystone to hold everything together. The reviews on this book were good so I ordered it.
I found the writing style incredibly disjointed and difficult to understand. There are `plans' but again these are quite confusing. The lack of diagrams, illustrations or photographs of the finished oven make you feel pages have been missed out. It's not even a case of the book being too technical...far from it...I just find it very badly written and presented.
I gave the book to two friends who also want to make an oven but didn't tell them of my concerns...they were both very polite but asked if I knew of any other books on the subject as they both found it very heavy going... like wading through treacle.
I'm afraid a total disappointment to me. I write scientific reports and to be honest, this book will be an annoyance rather than any help. I've since learnt of another (more expensive) book that apparently is much better.
There are some very good websites out there with step by step (almost brick by brick...) guidance, info on construction ratios and with plenty of 'in-progress photos'. Save your money on this one.
I found the writing style incredibly disjointed and difficult to understand. There are `plans' but again these are quite confusing. The lack of diagrams, illustrations or photographs of the finished oven make you feel pages have been missed out. It's not even a case of the book being too technical...far from it...I just find it very badly written and presented.
I gave the book to two friends who also want to make an oven but didn't tell them of my concerns...they were both very polite but asked if I knew of any other books on the subject as they both found it very heavy going... like wading through treacle.
I'm afraid a total disappointment to me. I write scientific reports and to be honest, this book will be an annoyance rather than any help. I've since learnt of another (more expensive) book that apparently is much better.
There are some very good websites out there with step by step (almost brick by brick...) guidance, info on construction ratios and with plenty of 'in-progress photos'. Save your money on this one.
54 of 58 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
For those who have the dough between their fingures, and an ambition to create something special rather than a loaf in a tin from the fan oven, this must be the simplest "how to" book available. Easy to read, with very clear diagrams, equipment lists, and materials, I cannot wait for the spring to come, and the weather to clear so that I can get going and build! The book is precise but encouraging rather than school-teacherish, and is the right size to fit in the pocket of your over-alls as you pour concrete, and lay bricks.
The building instructions are however enlivened by Tom's knowledge of history, and his use of references to and illustrations of various baking styles and methods over the last 1000 year. This helps to put his design into its proper context, and with a suggested recipe, alongside the firing proposal its a complete guide to an ancient art!
I have yet to decide whether to go classical, rustic, gothic or Turkish in the final finishing florish - spires and chimneys have a certain attraction ! But Tom provides drawings for most eventualities.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Having read several books about the art of building wood fired ovens, I bought this one having read several reviews that gave it a real positive view. However, I was quickly disappointed by a book that is full of history and detail about ovens used in large houses of bygone ages and the detail behind the history through the ages. There is very little real detail that anyone looking to build an oven could really utilise.
It makes for interesting background reading but the detail for building is extracted from the view of how some of the old commercial/large houses built their ovens and hence is of limited scope. The detail about the build is not there if you want to construct something yourself.
Great for the background detail but not for someone wanting to build an oven for small domestic or occasional use.
It makes for interesting background reading but the detail for building is extracted from the view of how some of the old commercial/large houses built their ovens and hence is of limited scope. The detail about the build is not there if you want to construct something yourself.
Great for the background detail but not for someone wanting to build an oven for small domestic or occasional use.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Complex!
This book is somewhat complicated. To build any of the projects would be quite difficult for many.
Published 21 months ago by P. Hayward
Strange book
I have to say that I agree with the reviewer who says 'a disapointment'. The author's writing style appears to harken back to bygone days; in addition, yes, it does appear... Read more
Published on 26 Jun 2009 by T. S. Ward
Good, but slightly narrow focus on one design
I really liked this book.
It has a lot of material which isn't available elsewhere. I found, however, that it was very good in terms of how to build a particular design... Read more
It has a lot of material which isn't available elsewhere. I found, however, that it was very good in terms of how to build a particular design... Read more
Published on 14 Aug 2006 by A. J. Taylor
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