An account of bread, bread baking, and one home baker's journey to master his craft. Journalist Samuel Fromartz was offered the assignment of a lifetime: to travel to France to work in a boulangerie. So began his quest to hone not just his homemade baguette, but also his knowledge of bread, from seed to table. For the next four years, Fromartz traveled across the United States and Europe, perfecting his sourdough in California, his whole grain rye in Berlin, and his country wheat in the South of France. He met historians, millers, farmers, wheat geneticists, sourdough biochemists, and everyone in between, learning about the history of breadmaking, the science of fermentation, and more. An informative and personal account of bread and breadbaking, complete with detailed recipes, tips, and beautiful photographs. For anyone who wants to take a deeper look at this deceptively ordinary, exceptionally delicious staple.