The Tassajara Bread Book

“The bible for bread baking.”—Washington Post “Rarely has such a book of such simplicity underscored so well the joy of culinary discovery.”—Bon Appetit“Brown offers over 100 easy-to-follow recipes developed in the kitchens of the United States’ oldest Zen monastery, as well as his unique perspective on baking with care and enjoying the results. [His] simple instructions and readily available ingredients will inspire both beginners and experienced bakers.”—Library Journal“This was the first cookbook I ever bought for myself, back when it was first published. To this day, I consider The Tassajara Bread Book to have been a major influence not just on my cooking and baking, but on my attitude and philosophy about food in general. Thank you, Ed Brown, for this lasting gift.”—Mollie Katzen, author of The Moosewood Cookbook and The Enchanted Broccoli Forest“This book continues to be a significant resource, offering a timeless path toward enlightenment and reminding us of the resilience and hope that can be found in the act of baking.”—from the foreword by Sarah Owens“This little book has long been a guide for those who want to bake but don’t know where to begin, as well as for those who want to go beyond and discover not just recipes but bread making itself.”—Deborah Madison, author of Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

Edward Espe Brown began cooking and practicing Zen in 1965. He was the first head resident cook at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center from 1967 to 1970. He later worked at the celebrated Greens Restaurant in San Francisco, serving as busboy, waiter, floor manager, wine buyer, cashier, host, and manager. Ordained a priest by Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, he has taught meditation retreats and vegetarian cooking classes throughout North America and Europe. He is the author of several cookbooks and the editor of Not Always So, a book of lectures by Shunryu Suzuki Roshi. He is the subject of the critically acclaimed 2007 film How to Cook Your Life.