Out this month is an extraordinary book for all bread bakers – novice or skilled – A Passion for Bread by Lionel Vatinet (well, I did help him translate his French-accented English  to the page so I might be a bit biased) who is one of  the world’s proclaimed Master Bakers.  His home is La Farm Bakery in Cary, North Carolina, but he travels the world teaching the art of bread making.  His skill has been condensed into an easily-read and used book and his technique of using an inverted stainless steel bowl to produce breads with a crackling exterior and perfect crumb is genius.  If you have the slightest bit of interest in making great bread, buy this book!!!!  I am using it weekly — and I’ve been baking bread all my life.