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| A Baker's Odyssey, includes DVD: Celebrating Time-Honored Recipes from America's Rich Immigrant Heritage | 
 enlarge | Author: Greg Patent
Creators: Dave Mclean, Kelly Gorham
Publisher: Wiley
Category: Book
List Price: $34.95
Buy New: $16.49
You Save: $18.46 (53%)
New (38) Used (17) from $16.49
Avg. Customer Rating:  5 reviews
Sales Rank: 65903
Media: Hardcover
Edition: Har/DVD
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 400
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.4
Dimensions (in): 8.9 x 8.3 x 1.6
ISBN: 0764572814
Dewey Decimal Number: 641.815
EAN: 9780764572814
ASIN: 0764572814
Publication Date: December 17, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: It is new. Expedited shipping available.
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| Customer Reviews:
 More sweet than savory July 5, 2008
After hearing the author on NPR, I was expecting the book to have a bit more in the way of savory recipes. That being said, this book contains the only recipe I've ever found for the real Russian kulich I had as a child. While time consuming,the recipe is easy enough to follow for an experienced baker. The result was magnificent-the only perfectly scented and textured kulich I've ever managed to make.
Baking up a storm March 25, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Baking is made easy with the enclosed dvd. I always prefer to bake instead of fry, this gives me more options. I also recommend Finger Licking different.
 Great Reference for Classic Immigrant Recipes March 4, 2008
14 out of 16 found this review helpful
`A Baker's Odyssey' by professional Zoologist, Greg Patent is a sequel to his excellent `Baking in America' and is also different from the rich selection of books we have on American desserts from the likes of Nancy Baggett, Wayne Harley Brachman, and Judith Fertig. It is most similar to `A Baker's Tour' by noted baking author and teacher, Nick Malgieri, except that Professor Patent limits himself to baking imported into the United States by Immigrants.
This book successfully emulates the virtues of `Baking in America' in many ways. First, it is a superior reference on how to recreate authentic recipes for many classic international dishes, plus some great homegrown dishes, especially from my favorite Pennsylvania Dutch corner of the world. Second, its discussion of the fundamentals is far more nuanced than one would expect in a book intended to be a collection of traditional recipes.
The very first recipe I checked, for the Russian Easter bread, kulich, is a fine example of both how thorough and how `ethnic' Patent's recipes can be. I have found and made similar recipes in both Betsy Oppenneer's `Celebration Breads' and in `The Best of Gourmet, 20th Anniversary Edition', and it is fascinating to see what the three recipes have in common and what is different. The most surprising common feature is that all three recipes call for baking the bread in two pound coffee cans. And, I can testify from experience that one strays from this recommendation at your own risk. I have mad kulich in three quart souffle dishes and in 1 quart souffle dishes, and neither one came out quite as good as I expected. There is something about the metal and the tall thin shape of the container which seems to be needed. The problem is that all 2 lb coffee cans today come with easy open tops, with pronounced lips, which make them virtually unusable as baking pans. I found that small metal springform pans are a reasonable substitute to the metal coffee cans. One simply has to carefully follow the directions on how to determine when the baking is done. The primary difference between Patent and the two more `modern' recipes is that Gourmet and Oppenneer both call for two rises of four hours or less while Patent's grandmother's recipe calls for three rises totaling up to eight hours. Less significant differences are that the modern recipes add saffron. I constantly puzzled over how Russian peasants could get or afford saffron. Patent's ethnically accurate recipe achieves the yellow coloring form using plenty of eggs and butter.
The second recipe I checked was the classic Pennsylvania Dutch shoo fly pie. Not only does Patent include one, he includes two, both from authentic sources, Betty Groff and William Woys Weaver. So, Patent remedies the omissions in practically every other authors' book(s) on `American' baking.
Another ethnic recipe very important to me are the Hungarian Walnut Torte, classically flourless, with `body' provided by walnuts and bread crumbs and lift provided by egg whites. Patent gives ample instructions on being careful not to over bake, but I'm surprised he gives no special instructions on how to avoid droopy centers. I'm totally amazed that my grandmother was able to make this cake without a droopy center. When my aunt took over the duties of making it for my birthday, her cake always drooped.
The last recipe near and dear to my heart I found was for Apple Strudel. Like every other recipe, this one comes from an authentic German recipe, relayed by an authentic German! The highlight of the recipe is that it includes instructions for making strudel dough from scratch. There is a family resemblance between strudel dough and the Greek Phyllo dough, but anyone who has improvised strudel with Phyllo knows they are simply not the same thing. German / Austrian strudel dough is a bit easier to make, and has more body to it.
As I have intimated above, every recipe comes from an authentic source. Patent had a good start for his cosmopolitan sources, as his parents were Iranian and Russian, and he was born in China. And, virtually all the recipes have a basis in home baking. There is not a trace of artisanal baking from ambient wild yeasts, something which can only be done effectively with a commercial bakery which specializes in such breads. Thus, the whole world of artisanal breads is left for other writers. But this is no loss, as this is a very well-tilled field of writing.
It is just a bit surprising to find no hot cross buns, especially since it did not appear in `Baking in America'. It is not surprising to find no buttermilk biscuits, since that did appear in `Baking in America'. But Irish Soda Bread, even the `Spotted Dick' variety is here.
The obligatory list of sources at the back of the book is as good or better than I've seen elsewhere. If you love baking `ethnic', this book and its predecessor are a superb pair of references, especially if you don't have lots of room for a dozen baking books.
The book includes a DVD which, I am happy to say, includes techniques on two of my favorite recipes cited above, the apple strudel and the Hungarian walnut cake.
There are many, many good baking books these days. If traditional recipes are your thing, there is nothing better than these two.
Amazing variety from all over the world January 16, 2008
18 out of 18 found this review helpful
"A Baker's Odyssey" is thick with recipes of all kinds---fried sweet pastries and doughs, flatbreads, savory & sweet pastries, yeast breads & pies (both sweet and savory), cookies, cakes, tortes, and more.
There are a few small bundles of color photos in the book. Most of the time I'm happy either way when it comes to the presence of photos---they aren't a must-have for me the way they are for some folks---but given the wide array of unusual (to me, anyway) treats in here, I would have loved more photos. The ones that are here are gorgeous, though.
There are plenty of notes on ingredients, which is incredibly helpful given that, for example, you might not have worked with lard before. Mr. Patent even includes instructions for rendering your own so it'll be of better quality than that found in your average grocery. There are also plenty of notes on equipment; just because these are traditional recipes doesn't mean you have to forgo modern convenience appliances!
A Baker's Odyssey includes recipes from all over the world---Kahk from Iraq; Puff Puff from Nigeria; Casatelli from Italy; Lebanese pita; Norwegian lefse; and on and on. I'd say that hands-down the biggest hit out of the recipes we've made so far was the Kachauri, fried flatbreads stuffed with a spiced split pea mixture. Cheese Sambouseks were quite popular as well---pockets stuffed with an egg-and-cheese mixture. We made a delightful whole wheat oatmeal bread as well as the tasty, crunchy little Kahk nibbles.
The recipes are clear and easy to read. So far I've only found one editing snafu (two slightly different sets of instructions to divide up a dough in one paragraph, such that it took a moment to realize I wasn't supposed to try to divide up the dough multiple times) and it was easily recognized and dealt with. All in all, I expect this will become one of our more treasured bread books. I just love being able to try out the vast wealth of recipes from around the world.
The Gold Standard December 24, 2007
28 out of 30 found this review helpful
Golden baked goods never looked so good. What pushes this cookbook a head of the pack is the enclosed DVD. The author takes time to demonstrate some of the recipes enclosed in the book that some might find challenging. Starting with pie crust, he also includes, Swedish cake, motza, cannoli and about 4 other recipes on the DVD. Having a DVD demonstrating some of the recipes with a cookbook is long overdue. I'm glad the cookbook world is finally attempting to incorporate technology where it can really benefit. Pairing this type of visual instructional manual with a diversity of recipes makes a great cookbook, a fabulously useful one. Not only does it basically begs you to try the recipes because you don't have an excuse with the enclosed demonstrations. But is helps insure success of the recipes it demonstrates. This should be the standard for most cookbooks.
Another thing that sets this cookbook apart is that it's a diverse offering of international baked goods. Mexican, Jewish, Italian, Hungarian, Thai, Chinese, Norwegian, Middle Eastern (Iraqi, Lebanese), Nigerian and so much more. Technology meets culinary diversity in the cookbook world, I hope this is the beginning of many.
This is a great gift for any occasion for someone who is afraid to bake and needs a little help. It will aslo be of interest to the seasoned baker who would enjoy a diversity of recipes added to their collection. This is also a great cookbook for parents to work on with their kids as a family activity because of the demonstrations. These types of activities can inspire creativity, critical thinking skills, and lead one to making a Basic Home Economics Course right in your own home!
Hopefully this book's use of of technology will become the standard and not the exception.
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