More from Macrina ─ New Favorites from Seattle's Popular Neighborhood Bakery

Leslie Mackie opened Macrina Bakery & Cafe in Seattle in 1993 after working with Lydia Shire & Susan Regis in Boston and as head baker at Seattle's Grand Central Bakery. She was among the first wave of Americans experimenting with recipes from European master bakers and a long, slow fermentation process. Mackie rediscovered the craft's traditional, almost spiritual importance. "In France, bakers are revered because bread is such a central part of the family and the community," she explains.

This new book has more of Mackie's irresistible, artisanal breads, including flatbreads and an emphasis on traditional Italian breads. The reader will also find cakes, cookies, pies, and other sweets and savories that devoted customers love. Mackie is deeply rooted in the Puget Sound community and treasures the relationships she has with customers, employees, and producers. Stories of some of her favorite people are sprinkled throughout the book.

Leslie Mackie picked up her kitchen skills at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, and she honed her craft working with acclaimed chefs Lydia Shire and Jasper White in Boston. She caught the bread fever while working in Los Angeles in 1987, when artisan bread was just emerging from wood-burning ovens in popular restaurants. In 1993 she opened Macrina Bakery & Cafe, which has been written up in Sunset and Pacific magazines, Bon Appetit, The LA Times, The New York Times, The Seattle Times, Seattle Weekly, and Seattle magazine. Leslie's recipes reach beyond Seattle, from her appearances on Julia Child's Baking with Julia television series to an Outstanding Contributor Award from the James Beard Foundation. Leslie has also received nominations for the Outstanding Pastry Chef Award from the James Beard Foundation.