Donna Currie, the mastermind behind the blog, Cookistry, and the book, Make Ahead Bread, has legions of friends and fans. Many people, myself included, count ourselves in both camps. We love Donna and revel in her down-to-earth approach to food, cooking, and lots else.
Today is the first anniversary of the publication of Make Ahead Bread. It’s a perfect book for yeast bread novices, as well as more experienced breadbakers. And for those who say “bread just isn’t my thing,” there are butters and spreads too. The recipes are designed so that the bread is made over the course of more than one day (hence the “make ahead” label); the time commitment on any single day is not large. The bread even rises overnight in the fridge. Seeing that happen was a wondrous sight that I loved almost as much as pulling the finished loaf out of the oven.
A group of us decided to mark this anniversary with a virtual party. We each made at least one recipe from the book and blogged about it. Our choices ranged from savory whole wheat to sweet pumpkin breads, from smooth buttermilk rolls to craggy sourdough English muffins. Pizza dough, sandwich bread, sweet rolls – and we didn’t even get to the flatbreads, stratas, or jams. What a wealth of goodness. And all from one fabulous woman!
So come celebrate Donna and her book’s first birthday with us. There is a giveaway too! Check the bottom of the post for how you can enter to get your own autographed copy of Make Ahead Bread.
Blueberry & Cream Cheese Buns with Lemon Zest from Meghan of Clean Eats, Fast Feets
Photo courtesy of Clean Eats, Fast Feets
Buttermilk Rolls from Renee of Magnolia Days
Photo courtesy of Magnolia Days
Cinnamon Rolls from Sandra of Dear Lauren Love Mom
Photo courtesy of Dear Lauren Love Mom
Pizza Bread from Karen of Karen’s Kitchen Stories
Photo courtesy of Karen’s Kitchen Stories
Pumpkin Yeast Bread from Faith of An Edible Mosaic
Photo courtesy of An Edible Mosaic
Sesame Seeded Semolina Bread from Karen of Karen’s Kitchen Stories
Photo courtesy of Karen’s Kitchen Stories
Sourdough English Muffins from Alisa of Go Dairy Free
Photo courtesy of Go Dairy Free
Stuffing Bread with Dried Cranberries from Stacy of Food Lust People Love
Photo courtesy of Food Lust People Love
Sweet Potato Monkey Bread from Kirsten of Farm Fresh Feasts
Photo courtesy of Farm Fresh Feasts
Sweet Potato Monkey Bread from Renee of Magnolia Days
Photo courtesy of Magnolia Days
Sweet Potato Monkey Bread from Laura of Mother Would Know
Whole Wheat Pita from Jenni of Pastry Chef Online
Photo courtesy of Pastry Chef Online
Whole Wheat and Parmesan Pizza Crust from Kirsten of Farm Fresh Feasts
Photo courtesy of Farm Fresh Feasts
For more Make Ahead Bread posts, check out the batch of beautiful breads that 37 Cooks baked.
And for more about the woman behind all these gorgeous and delicious breads, here is a lovely interview that Kim Beaulieu of Cravings of a Lunatic did with Donna when the book came out.
Kirsten says
Laura,
Thanks so much for including me in the celebration of Donna’s book!
I had a wonderful time baking, I’m inspired to try more versions of bread (I’m thinking of subbing simmered cranberries for the sweet potato for a new monkey bread) and as a side benefit, all the yeast in the kitchen reinvigorated my sourdough starter!
KatB says
I have been trying to master bread baking. This book might just be what I need to succeed =)
Laura says
Kat, You should definitely use this book as your entree into bread baking – Donna writes recipes so clearly and her explanations in the beginning of the book about what you need and how ingredients work is fabuloous.
Sandra says
This looks great – most of my make-ahead breads have been variations on pizza dough, but this REALLY broadens the field!
Laura says
Sandra, You’ll find so many wonderful (non-pizza) make ahead breads in this book – it’s so fabulous!
Carrie M. says
Sourdough English muffins.
Karen @ Karen's Kitchen Stories says
Beautifully done Laura.
Pavani says
I would love to make that sweet potato monkey bread. Thank you for the giveaway.
Laura says
Pavani, Wonderful. We loved it at my house (the sweet potato monkey bread.)
raquel from jc says
I think I would bake pita bread! We love mediterranean food so it is just natural for us to have pita bread!
Thank you for the chance to win this wonderful book!
Laura says
Raquel, Pita bread is so delicious – great choice. Plus, it’s such a great vehicle for dips such as hummus and baba ganoush.
Wendy, A Day in the Life on the Farm says
I think Sandra’s cinnamon rolls look incredible but it is a very hard choice. Luckily if I win this book I will get to use it frequently for #BreadBakers
Laura says
Wendy, Hard choices make great cookbooks – or something like that:) Anyway, yes, the cinnamon rolls do look wonderful. I’ going to tyr that recipe soon.
Ann Biundo says
What beautiful breads! It is hard to know where to begin using your recipes but
the photos certainly are enticing. Pumpkin yeast bread sounds delightful.
Laura says
Ann, Yes it’s tough to decide where to begin. Faith’s pumpkin yeast bread is certainly a great one.
Marlene says
The whole wheat pita and the pizza doughs are right up my alley! I’ve made similar do-ahead breads with great success and can’t wait to try these.
Laura says
Marlene – Wonderful. Hope you try many of these breads – they are all great.
Amy says
I’d probably make a pizza crust. I am ever on the lookout for the perfect crust!
Laura says
Amy, Great pick. Like you, I’m always on the lookout for perfect pizza crust – and in my case the standards are high because my husband used to be a pizza chef.
Karen says
I use Jim Lahey’s no-work bread recipe, and these recipes look similar– I can’t decide what I would make first!
Laura says
Karen, I know that feeling – no matter which one you pick, you can’t go wrong.
Donna says
I love seeing all my breads being made in so many homes! Thanks for putting this together!
Laura says
Donna, It’s our pleasure – we love your book almost as much as we love you 🙂
Joan says
While they all sound great I’m most eager to make the Parmesan Pizza crust.
Laura says
Joan, It does look yummy, doesn’t it?
Sharyl Wolter says
I would make the overnight pizza dough first!
Laura says
Sharyl, Great pick!
Diane says
I’m going to make that pizza bread I see Karen ker made to go with a nice big bowl of my cabbage patch soup for dunking. And then I’ll just keep baking all the rest. They look divine! I adore homemade breads and would like to get much better at baking them!
Laura says
Fantastic Diane – yes Karen’s version sure looks great
Liz @ I Heart Vegetables says
Yum! I loooove fresh bread!
Tina W says
I want to try the whole wheat pita breads.
Laura says
Tina – Good choice.I do love those too. (Of course I haven’t tried one of Donna’s bread recipes that hasn’t been wonderful.)
Mimi Avocado says
I want some of that pizza bread right now!
Laura says
It does look wonderful, doesn’t it Mimi:)
Jeffrey says
I’d make the Whole Wheat Pita Bread first, I love it with hummus and also like using them for sandwiches.
Laura says
Jeffrey, Wonderful choice – and yes, definitely with hummus.