To create the 150 approachable recipes in Prairie Home Breads, Judith M. Fertig, a nationally recognized authority on regional Midwestern cuisine and author of the popular Prairie Home Cooking, visited artisanal bakeries, farmhouse kitchens, rural church suppers, urban bakeries, and farmers" markets. Her instructions are simple and concise--she includes a helpful rundown of tips and techniques--and the results are truly delectable. With recipes running the gamut from Flatbread with Caramelized Onions and Brie to Pecan Brioche Bread, Prairie Pioneer Corn and Wheat Bread, and Better-Than-Blessed Potato Rolls, this may very well be the only bread book you"ll ever need. Fertig includes tantalizing accompaniments like Warm Goat Cheese with Fresh Basil, Balsamic Vinegar, and Wildflower Honey and Strawberry, Rhubarb and Rose Petal Jam. Decadent desserts--like Spiced Persimmon Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce--are sprinkled devilishly throughout, as are Fertig"s heartwarming stories of regional culture, culinary traditions, and the people who sustain the rich heritage of bread baking in America"s heartland. --Robin Donovan