A Slow Rise

Dan’s newest cookbook is out now! A celebration of baking with heart & soul, A Slow Rise is a must-have for serious and novice home bakers alike.

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A lifetime of baking, captured on the page.

“In bread baking there’s certain time-honored traditions. Taking the traditions and techniques and following them in the best possible way is what makes great bread.”

— Dan Leader

Dan and the Press…

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Add These 2020 James Beard Award-Winning Books to Your Shelf

Daniel Leader of Bread Alone bakery—which made our list of the 100 best bakeries in America—is back with another cookbook, and it won the “Baking and Desserts” category in this year’s Beards. Living Bread dives into how artisan bread baking has evolved, from “wheat farming practices and advances in milling, to sourdough starters and the mechanics of mixing dough.” Recipes include vegan brioche, chocolate sourdough babka, and pompe à l’huile, a sweet bread Leader notes is unique to the South of France.

What people have said about Dan’s cookbooks:

Living Bread Reviews

“Living Bread guides you around the world to make breads that will entice your nose, your mouth, and your heart.”

–Nancy Silverton

“Daniel Leader’s journey with bread began with the spirit of curiosity and inquiry. . . Now we have his new book, Living Bread, which is both a warm reflection on his own place within the long tradition of bread-making and a charming collection of stories about the people who have enriched his own experiences and skills, along with many of their delicious recipes.”

**–Nathan Myhrvold, co-author of Modernist Cuisine and founder of Modernist Cuisine**

“It is a visually stunning homage to land, grain, history, craft, tradition, and travel, and, at its essence, the story of a lifelong love affair with bread. Humble. Passionate. Honest. Inspiring.”

–Zachary Golper, chef and owner of Bien Cuit

“This gorgeous book translates Dan’s curiosity and wisdom into a rich and valuable tool for thoughtful and inquisitive bakers.”

-Steve Sullivan, co-founder of Acme Bread

“Finally . . . a beautiful cookbook worth reading (and savoring). It's almost as delicious to page through as Daniel's bread is to eat.”

–Seth Godin, author of This Is Marketing

From my kitchen to yours…

I’m not a trained baker. I’m only a good baker because lots of people have been very kind to me and very sharing of their knowledge. I felt I was really lucky, and why not write about it?

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Parisian Inspiration

At twenty-two, I stumbled across the intoxicating perfume of bread baking in the back room of a Parisian boulangerie. As a chef by training, I learned to bake naturally-fermented, artisan breads touring these bakeries.

Bread Alone…

When I founded Bread Alone Bakery in New York's Hudson Valley in the early 1980s, I was determined to duplicate the whole-grain and sourdough breads I had learned to make in the bakeries of Paris.

Guiding Principles…

I am and always have been committed to simple life and living grounded in nature, community, and simple and honest breads and foods. I believe that Bread Alone’s ovens have produced more wood-fired, organic bread than any other ovens in America, if not the world.

The Bread Alone Story…