Savory Baking from the Mediterranean: Focaccias, Flatbreads, Rusks, Tarts, and Other Breads

I'll be honest - I bought this book having never seen it, thinking it would be a book specifically about flatbreads and other specialty breads from the Mediterranean. I am interested in expanding my horizons into flatbreads and eastern breads, so this book looked like a good possibility in that regard. It does cover these, but it's not specifically about flatbreads.Many tomes on bread emphasize travels and personal anecdotes. This is not the case with this book. There is a brief (14 pages) intro at the beginning that has some personal insights and thoughts, but that's almost all there is for personal reflections - immediately after the introduction, it plunges in to the formulas.Each recipe has a description, but these descriptions tend to be brief and specific. There are occasional personal notes attached at these points, but the author does not consume a lot of effort in these write-ups. Instead, she gives a short bit of background or history regarding each formula before giving the formula itself.There are some top-notch recipes in this book! I did get what I wanted in terms of flatbreads - there are mutiple recipes for focaccia, and all of them are very different in terms of the final result. Emphasis is on authenticity, and with each region there is a different "standard" - the author does a splendid job of pointing out the differences.Where I am in uncharted waters, though, involves some of the recipes included that use meats and fish. The book includes several recipes that call for anchovies - I likely will never try those, simply because I prefer anchovies on the side. Regardless, some breads are an entire meal unto themselves, and this is in line with the traditions of the region.Also included are multiple recipes for savory pies, containing vegetables and/or meats. This thought had not crossed my mind in terms of bread baking, and it has given me a new area to explore.On a more abstract level, the writing style is approachable and clear. The page layout is also pleasant on the eyes. There are a few pictures contained within but they are black-and--white and do not dominate.I was shopping for a specialty book on regional breads - just breads. What I got was an abstract geography lesson with some wonderful new ideas. Had I known that this book was a little more than just a bread book I am not so sure I would have purchased it, but I am very pleased with it regardless. If you're looking for a good introduction to Mediterranean breads that go beyond flatbreads, this is a good book worth your consideration.

I like this book, interesting, but don't use it, partly because the spices in a lot of the more interesting recipes are too hard to get and the recipes are not interesting enough to go to great lengths to get them. A lot of it is street food from the middle East. if you want to try exotic forms of things like pizza, that you might not think of as pizza, or pine for Syrian street food buy this book

Admittedly a book about flatbreads but not what I had hoped it would be. Recipes seem straightforward but not the most appetizing fare I could imagine, i.e., I would not use any of the recipes if I were preparing a meal for guests. It might be fun to play around with and experiment with some of the recipes but I can't imagine actually wanting to spend the time and effort making these breads. At best, it will fill a little-used niche in my collection of bread books. I can't recommend it for more than an esoteric group of bread bakers.

I love this cookbook -I got a copy after borrowing it from the library - the recipes are easy to follow and have tried several of them and they have tasted delicious -

Top shelf for bread making. A wide range of breads here

All her books are awesome.

Love all the different breads!

I checked this book out from the local library just by the title. I now own the bok, and little did I know that it would create a passion for baking within.The recipes are straight forward and easy to follow. Some are simpler than others but not so complex that you get lost in translation. The imagery included is nice as it is a glimpse into the founding world of these styles of baking.I've played around with several of the recipes and haven't had any troubles. The only thing that has confused me is the explainations of some of the rolling and shaping techniques. Other than these few small kinks, it is a very easy book to follow and grow off of. I had no experience with breads and savory baking before this book came along.

I like Anissa's books and they always feature authentic recipes but I'm having a bit of a problem with this one, we hardly find any pciture.I have to google many recipes to see how they're supposed to look like..In the world of baking, many recipes start with flour, water, salt and yeast..So sometimes it's maybe the shape that looks different, a picture would have been better than words to show that...I did like Mediterranean street food and while we didn't need a picture in each page, it was just about right and all balanced in the end..