by J. Michael Wheeler
No Need to Knead: A Simple Way to Bake Bread
All Things Considered, March 22, 2009
National Public Radio's Jacki Lyden talks with Nancy Baggett, author of the new cookbook Kneadlessly Simple: Fabulous, Fuss-Free, No-Knead Breads. Now, with Nancy Baggett's revolutionary new Kneadlessly Simple method, even complete novices can bake bread quickly and easily in their own homes, with no kneading and no kitchen mess. The secret is in Baggett's slow-rise method, which allows the yeast to grow slowly and develop the same full, satisfying flavor of traditional bread, without any kneading at all.
"Kneadless bread, in fact — we think of it as very novel and revolutionary now — kneadless bread is actually the way it was made before people figured out that you could knead bread," Baggett says.
Baggett lives and bakes in the Washington, D.C., area. NPR's Jacki Lyden paid a visit to her kitchen a few weeks ago to learn the secrets of no-knead baking.
Listen to No Need to Knead: A Simple Way to Bake Bread: Click Here. There's even a recipe for Baggett's Crusty White Peasant-Style Pot Bread
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"Nancy Baggett's technique is simple and virtually fool-proof."
For years, countless home cooks have shied away from baking their own bread because they were intimidated by all the mess, the experience, and of course, all the kneading required. Now, with Nancy Baggett's revolutionary new Kneadlessly Simple method, even complete novices can bake bread quickly and easily in their own homes, with no kneading and no kitchen mess. The secret is in Baggett's slow-rise method, which allows the yeast to grow slowly and develop the same full, satisfying flavor of traditional bread, without any kneading at all. The technique calls for minimal ingredients, often mixed in one bowl with one spoon, eliminating all the mess of traditional bread recipes, and it can be used to produce a wide variety of breads, from Whole Wheat Boules and English Muffin Loaves to Raisin Bread and Caraway Beer Bread. With this innovative new method, anyone who can read, measure, and stir can now make delicious, fine-textured yeast bread at home. Hand selected books are at Foodie's Emporium! Click here.