Some News: A Book
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A little over a year ago, I received a comment on the peasant bread post that read:
I found your recipe quite some time ago. In the post, you had a link to a source for the Pyrex bowls. I just happened to find it on a day when the bowls were on sale for $1.99 each. I bought 48 of them! I baked bread and gave two bowls to each family at Christmas along with a copy of your recipe…
Nothing, of course, made me happier than to read that. When I shared my mother’s simple recipe in the PB post, I hoped people would discover how easy bread baking can be. But what I hoped for more than anything was that people would love the bread so much that they, too, would want to share it with others — neighbors, friends, or 24 family members.
Over the years, many people have written in noting their favorite adaptations of the peasant bread from simply adding herbs and cheese to making cinnamon-and-sugar monkey bread to doubling the recipe, baking it in three loaf pans, and making sandwich bread for the week.
Many people have had success with the recipe, but every day people write in with questions: Can the bread be mixed at night and baked in the morning? Can the dough travel, say, to a party, and be baked on the premises? Can the bread be doubled and halved, baked in other vessels? Can the dough be frozen?
Friends, I’m so excited to share some news. I’m writing a book that will answer all of these questions. The book will include the master recipe with variations — dark chocolate with coffee, whole wheat with cornmeal, lavender honey, to name a few — as well as recipes for using the fresh and days-old bread — sandwiches, toasts, panini, stratas, bread pudding, etc. — right down to the crumb.
In short, it’s a “nose-to-tail” bread baking cookbook and will be published by Clarkson Potter in the spring of 2017. Most exciting of all is that my mother, the source of all good things on this site, will be helping me with the book. I’ll keep you posted.
Thank you to everyone for reading and commenting and for making this book possible! I so appreciate your support over the years. And thank you, too, to my agent, Berta Treitl, and to my editor, Amanda Englander.
Three batches: From top to bottom: whole wheat and cornmeal, the master recipe, and dark chocolate with coffee:
The bowls: Vintage Pyrex bowls can be found in various places, but these work beautifully, too.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
101 Comments on “Some News: A Book”
You.are.so.awesome!!! I’ll be the first to pre-order, guarantee 🙂 xoxoxo
Trish!! Thank you thank you. So fun seeing your name here. Big hugs!! xoxo
This is exciting news! This bread is our favorite and I make it often. I didn’t know there were so many varieties. I’ve always hoped you would make a cookbook as your site is the one I go to most often for inspiration!
Thank you, Cindy! That means so much to me. And yes, countless variations! And they are so good. Can’t wait to share them.
Ali! This is such awesome news! I’m thrilled for you (and your mom, too). I can’t wait to buy it. Not sure how you do all that you do with 4(!!) littles. My role model 🙂 XO!
Thank you, Carrie! Always fun to see your name here. I miss our time in Stafford together! Big hugs to you and your family. xoxo
Huge congratulations, Alexandra, and so very well deserved! I love bread and vintage Pyrex — can’t wait for the book.
Thank you, Sara! Means a lot. Bread + vintage pyrex is lovely match 🙂
Ali, this is what I’ve been waiting for!! I am so very happy for you! I can’t wait, I know it’s going to be a wonderful cookbook! You and Liza are a great team. Congratulations and all the best!! xox
Oh, Jennifer, thank you! You are kind. We are excited!!
Wonderful news. Congrats!!!!
Thank you, Ileana!!
Huge congrats! Can’t wait to add it to my collection….and maybe tame my fear of yeast once and for all.
I do not believe you have a fear of yeast! You are fearless! Thank you thank you, Wendi. I so appreciate your support and always love hearing from you.
Just the best news ever. Cannot wait.
Thanks Batesy. xoxo
Oh, Ali, I am so excited for you! I was so hoping you would write a cookbook. What a thrill for all of your readers! I can’t wait.
Thank you, Trish! That means so much. As always, I love hearing from you and thank you for your support.
I am SO excited to hear this news! Cannot wait for the book to come out 🙂
Thank you so much, Charlsey! So great to hear from you.
Congratulation! I love baking bread and look forward to reading your book.
Thank you, Julie!
SO happy for you! I adore every recipe that you post – you are my go to for anything and everything that I want to make. Can’t wait to buy the book!
Thank you, Kale! YOu are too kind.
Hey Alexandra – First off huge fan. Congrats on the book! Second, can you make sure the people over at Stouffer’s get a copy? They changed the bread recipe for the French Bread pizzas that I eat on the reg and it’s NOT OK.
I’ll get right on that, Nick! That is so not OK. Thank you thank you.
BIG CONGRATS to you, Alexandra! Talk about great timing. I was just giving your FB page a huge THANK YOU this morning as I posted pics of my Sourdough Peasant Bread W/Caraway which is a tweaked version of your awesome peasant bread! Since discovering this recipe last year via your blog I have made it so many times and truly made it my “go to” easy no-knead bread recipe for my family. It’s simply my very favorite one! I have three basic no-knead recipes that I use to make the only bread I will eat as that is sourdough bread! Your peasant bread recipe is the first on my list when I need to make some delicious sourdough bread in a hurry. It’s just so easy and delicious. I cannot wait to buy your book. Your book will be epic!!!! Your easy recipe is what made me the bread baker I have become today! YAY!!!! BIG HUGS! I couldn’t be happier for YOU!!! 🙂 <3
Thank you, Patti! You are too too much! I loved reading all of this. And I love that you have tweaked the recipe to make it your own…that’s the beauty of this recipe. Thank you as always for your kind words and support.
Congratulations! Thanks for sharing the news. I love the concept and can’t wait to get baking!
Thank you, Katie!
So so happy for you Ali!! Much deserved. I can’t wait to finally make the GF peasant bread! xoxoxo
Thank you, Phoebe! You will have to be my g-f tester 🙂
I’m so, so happy for you (and your mom!) and can’t wait to see your book when it’s published. Maybe Choate will let me review it for the Bulletin? 😉
Yes, absolutely! Thank you, Michelle!
WOW!! How exciting!! Congrats! I remember you mentioned wanting to write this book ages ago when we met in VA, and now it’s happening! I do hope you’ll post occasional updates here, and I can’t wait to see some of the recipes!
Thank you, Katie!! All of a sudden that seems like so long ago. I’m sure for you, too, now that you’ve been in CA for a few (2? more?) years now. I will keep you posted for sure. Always so great to hear from you!
Huge congratulations! How exciting!
Thank you thank you Alicia!!
How exciting! Every time I visit your site I always wish you had a cookbook. Your recipes are always spot on. Looking forward to this cookbook and hopefully more to come. Congratulations!
Thank you, Karen! You are too kind!
Congratulations! I am so excited for you.
I had attempted bread several times in the past and failed each time. Either it turned out doughy or to dry etc, I decided the heck with it, never again- the grocery store bread was easier and consistant. Then sometime back I tried your recipe for peasant bread. The first attempt turned out perfect and I have made it so many times since and it has always been a success evry single time!
I have made a lot of your recipes actually and they are so detailed, which I like, some more time consuming than others but every recipe has been delicious. My complaint….. 2017 is to long out to wait for your book! I am also in that long line to buy it!
Congratulations! I am so excited for you.
I had attempted bread several times in the past and failed each time. Either it turned out doughy or to dry etc, I decided the heck with it, never again- the grocery store bread was easier and consistent. Then sometime back I tried your recipe for peasant bread. The first attempt turned out perfect and I have made it so many times since and it has always been a success every single time!
I have made a lot of your recipes actually and they are so detailed, which I like, some more time consuming than others but every recipe has been delicious. My complaint….. 2017 is to long out to wait for your book! I am also in that long line to buy it!
Oh, Carol, thank you for your kind words! 2017 feels far away but I think (fear!) it will be here before we know it. I am so happy to hear that you had success with the peasant bread on the first go and that you have been making it since — so fun!
congratulations on the book deal , it is going to be awesome !!!
dimitra
Thank you, Dimitra!
Wonderful news! Ironically, I made your fabulous bread for the first time last night. I used your popover pan idea and they came out perfectly! I am already planning to make the recipe again. Thank you and your mom for sharing the recipe-and I will be sharing it as well!
Awesome! So great to hear this. I love the popover pan shape — it’s perfect for soup or just a dinner roll. So happy you will be sharing it 🙂
I’m ready to preorder a copy for me and many copies for friends. Yay! So excited for you!
Thank you, Mindy!! That means so much to me.
Alexandria, I am so happy about your book and I want a copy so be sure to have all the information on your emails when it is available. I have bought the little pyrex bowls for myself and two daughters from one of the places you told us about and I love them and only wish I had the vintage ones like you do. Maybe later. Thank you so much. I love your website.
Nancy, thank you so much! I am so happy to read all of this! Yes, the vintage ones can wait. I just bought a few more of the clear, pyrex 322, and I am actually loving that you can see through them — I had forgotten! — while they bake, so you know when the crust is getting nice and golden. Both (vintage/new) have their advantages. Thank you for your kind words!
Well it’s about time, Lady!
I’m looking forward to it. I’ll assume it’s a tad too early to pre-order on amazon. Good luck and I can’t wait to read it!
You wouldn’t by chance be thinking about selling signed copies on your website at some point, would you? 😉
Thank you, Julia! You are too much. I have no idea how this all works, but I will keep you posted. I so appreciate your support over the years. Thank you.
YAY!! Such great news! Can’t WAIT to get my hands on a copy and try some more of your fabulous recipes!!! Thanks so much for doing this for US!! Got my little bowls all ready!
Yay! So happy to hear you are prepared 🙂 Thank you for your kind words.
Congrats and well-deserved! I’d buy any cookbook you write. I love your blog and your recipes. Hooray for you!
Thank you, Patty! You are kind.
Ali, this is amazing!! I am so excited for this, and so proud! You’re still my favorite food blogger (and definitely write the site I cook from the most); this cookbook will expand your audience and that is a good thing! Wow!! I am so happy. Maybe a tour! Maybe a stop at Powells in Oregon!! — I am getting ahead of myself, hahaha. Loaf-to-crumb cooking, this is such a great concept. You’re always hooking us up with the best sandwich ideas — I can’t wait to enjoy your book! And I’m glad you have a nice long timeline to work on it. Or, relatively long. Maybe?
So proud and excited! CONGRATULATIONS!! Wish I could buy you a drink rightthissecond to celebrate!
Sophie!! Thank you thank you. It would be a dream to come to Oregon. I am going to get out there to meet you one way or another. And re timeline, it’s all still so new, so I have no idea…fingers crossed it is long. I wish we could have a drink together rightthissecond too. Thank you as always for your constant support. It means so much to me.
Oregon would love to have you!! And Nathan and I will be back in New York before long, I’m sure! I’m excited to follow along a bit on your publishing journey. It seems like a lot of work, yes….. but a cookbook in the end, pretty amazing 🙂
Please let me know when you are back in New York! I would love to find you wherever you are. xo