The Hungry Ghost Bread Book

“Through story, poems, and recipes, Jonathan Stevens reminds us why we bake and offers us the tools to become better bakers along the way: MORE HYDRATION, MORE FERMENTATION, MORE HEAT IN THE OVEN! Beautifully written, with profound ruminations on baking as an act of (Neolithic) revolution. Brilliant!”

—Jennifer Lapidus, founder, Carolina Ground; author of Southern Ground

“Bread is a fun, vast topic whose technical side can intimidate. In The Hungry Ghost Bread Book, Jonathan Stevens finds so much pleasure in bread and makes baking so wholly approachable that you might never realize how grounded the recipes are in the ways that a professional makes bread really delicious.”

—Edward Behr, editor, The Art of Eating

“This is a beautifully written book by a true artisan. Jonathan Stevens has been refining his techniques and recipes for decades at Hungry Ghost Bread in Northampton, Massachusetts. He opens the book with a riveting account of the rhythms and textures of the bakery’s daily grind, then breaks down the different breads with clear and concise recipes for making them at home and even suggestions of alternative uses for overproofed dough. Easy to read and likely to inspire, this book will take your bread-making to the next level.”

—Sandor Ellix Katz, fermentation revivalist; author of The Art of Fermentation and other fermentation bestsellers

“It’s impossible to read through the recipes in The Hungry Ghost Bread Book without being inspired to scoop out some sourdough starter and get mixing. And while you may open this book initially for the recipes—of which there are plenty of great ones—you’ll leave with a mind full of sound processes, techniques, and a new set of baker’s sensibilities.”

—Maurizio Leo, author of James Beard Award–winning The Perfect Loaf

“The Hungry Ghost Bread Book is a throwback to the classics that inspired me to become a baker. This book is far more than its many excellent recipes. It’s about caring about your ingredients, caring about the craft, and most of all, making the good stuff and feeding the people. I am inspired to bake all over again.”

—Mark Dyck, host, Rise Up! The Baker Podcast; founder, Bakers4Bakers.org

“Reader, this book is one of a kind; the most original work I’ve ever read on crafting sourdough bread. Even if you’re not sure whether you’re up to wrestling with the stuff (and honestly, it’s not for everyone), you should read this book just for the exhilarating high you’ll be floating in when you set it down. The author knows his stuff, but he’s not just teaching—he’s doing. He’s wrapping his arm around you and slipping you into his bread-woven life. I truly think he’s something of a witch (the fermentation he conjures definitely has the aura of enchantment). Go put a handful of unbleached flour into a bowl and wet it with a good splash of well water—and see who comes calling . . .”

—John Thorne, food writer; author of James Beard Award–winning Pot on the Fire

“Artisan bread pioneers Cheryl Maffie and Jonathan Stevens have been indoctrinating countless other bakers and bread lovers into the Church of Gluten with their breads for over twenty years. The Hungry Ghost Bread Book offers a unique look into the philosophy and methods behind their beloved breads. Theirs has long been one of my favorite bakeries anywhere, and now the joys of Hungry Ghost are accessible far beyond the Pioneer Valley.”

—Andrew Janjigian, head baker, Wordloaf; author of Breaducation

“Jonathan’s enthusiasm for sourdough bread jumps off every page! You might not be able to get to his world-class Hungry Ghost Bread bakery, but you can make these recipes, which are simple enough for beginners yet will inspire even die-hard bread-heads. Just reading this marvelous cookbook is half the fun, because Jonathan leavens his recipes with decades of hard-earned knowledge, from sourdough science to eccentric lore, puns, and poetry: ‘even a bad day baking/beats merely making dough.’ Amen!”

—Andrew Coe, award-winning food historian; bread fanatic

“Jonathan Stevens leads you into his head and his work, escorting you with stories and poems through Hungry Ghost Bread’s great recipes. The crackers are spectacular! As you learn how to make good naturally leavened bread—and what to do when the bread dough goes awry—you’ll learn how this lively baker and bakery came to be, too.”

—Amy Halloran, regional grain advocate; author of The New Bread Basket

“I struggled to write a blurb for this book—and not because I didn’t like it. It’s just that every time I tried to write a few words, I discovered they were already written by Jonathan. I kept coming back to the three ‘mores’ of bread baking: more hydration, more fermentation, more heat! This book is enjoyable and inspiring to read, with attention not only to the bread, but to family and community, too.”

—Thomas Leonard, author of The Bread Book

"Stevens flavors [this] book with unique phrases, wit, and a sprinkle of philosophy . . . As enticing as warm, buttered bread straight from the oven, The Hungry Ghost Bread Book is an alluring and playful invitation to get started on some sourdough."

—Foreword Reviews