Emily Buehler
About
Emily Jane Buehler completed graduate school in chemistry and worked six years as a bread baker before realizing she wanted to be a writer. Her first book, Bread Science, explores the science and craft of baking bread. Her second book, Somewhere and Nowhere, is a memoir of a bicycle trip from New Jersey to Oregon that explores the benefits of living in the present moment. Emily currently writes women's fiction and works as a freelance copyeditor. She teaches bread-making classes and continues to travel by bicycle.
I like to start class by having everyone make a basic French bread (white bread) recipe. It may not be the most exciting style of bread, but it's the easiest to use when you're learning and creates a good foundation to build on. We'll discuss things like how to knead properly, what pitfalls to avoid, and how to tell when the dough is ready to move on.
We'll go through each step of the process together; in a weekly class, we might have to cover different steps in detail each week.
After the first loaf, I'll offer other basic bread recipes (such as modified French, 100% whole wheat or sprouted wheat, ciabatta, focaccia), which will follow the same basic rules. I also encourage students to re-make the basic bread, to gain practice and to use it as we learn about the entire process.
The online class won't include sourdough recipes, since I won't be able to share sourdough starter with students.
I worked in an artisan bread bakery for six years. I began teaching bread-making in 2002 through the Carrboro [NC] ArtsCenter. I have taught almost every year at the Asheville Bread Festival and since 2008 at the Campbell Folk School.
My bread-making classes draw from the material in my book, Bread Science. The book is not required, however. Students might enjoy it if they want more-detailed science or to have all the information that we cover gathered in one place.