"In this book, I'm embarking on a different path, focusing on finding recipes that preserve the tastes and memories of a long-departed place." --Greg Patent

In his James Beard Award - winning Baking in America, Greg Patent brought to life the 200-year history of American baking. Now, in A Baker's Odyssey, he celebrates the living traditions of America's immigrant bakers. Preserving recipes is one of the most important ways that immigrants maintain their cultural identity, and even families that came over generations ago still prepare cherished recipes handed down by grandmothers.

Visiting the kitchens of more than five dozen master home bakers around the country, Patent discovered the baking secrets of thirty diverse cultures, from Austria, Norway, and Italy to Mexico, India, and Nigeria. He observed techniques, recorded recipes, and learned the cultural significance of each baked good he saw prepared. The more than 130 recipes he shares in the book represent the best of each culture's beloved culinary heritage - and pay tribute to the marvelous gastronomic diversity of America today.

With this book as your guide, you can embark on a grand tour of baking around the world that will delight your family and friends. You'll encounter sweet and savory favorites such as Eastern European Rugelach, Sweet Irish Soda Bread, Chinese-Style Almond Sponge Cake, Italian Pignoli Cookies, Indian Chapati, Syrian Savory Bracelets, the Original Shoofly Pie