Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.
Breaking Bao is an engaging, accessible, and do-able collection of baked goodies from Asia (and beyond) by professional baker Clarice Lam. Released 22nd Oct 2024 by Chronicle Books, it's 248 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats.
Most people who enjoy Asian bakery offerings just buy them from their favorite vendors and leave the expert/time consuming tasks and prep to the experts. That's problematic for the majority of folks who don't live in urban areas blessed with a local Asian bakery. Pastry chef Lam has a lightly humorous and encouraging "voice" throughout the book and there's something for every taste in the collection.
The author does a great job simplifying the tasks involved and shows readers how to recreate them at home with their own tools and supplies. Most of the ingredients will be available at any well stocked grocery store in North America. Some of them will require a trip to an Asian/international market or online retailer.
The recipes are wide ranging and are arranged into sections thematically: bao, cakes & desserts, and snacks. There are 88 recipes and they're all complete and well written. Ingredients are listed in a bullet sidebar, with yields, background for the recipe, a description, yields, and step-by-step directions. Recipe ingredients are listed with both imperial (American) and metric units (yay!).
The photography and styling throughout are excellent. Photos are in color, and the food is presented appropriately and stylishly.
Five stars. This is a delicious and comprehensive collection. It would be a great choice for public or school library acquisition, home use, or gift giving purposes.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Reviewed by annieb123 on
Reading updates
- 31 October, 2024: Started reading
- 31 October, 2024: Finished reading
- 31 October, 2024: Reviewed