Author(s): TOM O TOOLE

Food and Wine

The secret is finally out! Tom O'Toole, founder of Australia's most famous bakery, the Beechworth Bakery, shares the secrets from his kitchen like never before. Whilst many pastry chefs jealously guard their recipes, Tom is only too happy to share these to try at home. Beechworth is a long way away for the best in bread. Now, thanks to Tom, anyone can turn a kitchen into a bake-house. The Secrets of the Beechworth Bakery is a complete recipe book, with everything from basic white bread (super soft, of course) to the sweetest of chocolate eclairs. Tom O'Toole spares no effort in sharing his recipes with the reader. But it's more than just another cookbook. As Tom says, "This isn't just another bloody recipe book. This is a philosophy of life". Secrets of the Beechworth Bakery includes detailed chapters on Regional Australian Cooking, Sweet Doughs, Savouries, Scones, Biscuits, a huge chapter on Desserts, Cakes of all descriptions and of course Bread. About the author: From his humble beginnings in Tocumwal, to owning and operating Australia's most famous bakery, Tom O'Toole has spent half a lifetime making bread. And it's not just any bread. Since 1984, when Tom bought the Beechworth Bakery for the second time, he has created arguably Australia's best independent bakery and has just opened another regional bake-house in Echuca. Known for his innovative recipes and taste sensations, Tom hasn't always been this successful. Leaving school at 14 years of age, without having learnt the alphabet, he became "just a baker". It wasn't until one sunny day when he looked in the mirror and saw more than "just a" baker.... And when Tom started seeing a baker instead of a "just a", he was alright. Now Tom's proud to be a baker, so proud that he's sharing his best recipes with the reader.