Bernard Clayton Jr. facts for kids

Bernard Clayton Jr. (born December 25, 1916 – died March 28, 2011) was a talented American writer, reporter, and baker. He became famous for writing cookbooks, especially about baking delicious breads and pastries. Many people who loved to bake, from professional chefs to home cooks, really admired his books. Even though he wasn't as famous as some other food writers, his books were just as important to bakers.

Who Was Bernard Clayton Jr.?

Bernard Clayton Jr. started his life in the middle of the United States. He began his career as a photographer and a reporter who traveled to other countries. Later, he spent a lot of time traveling, learning, and writing about baking and other foods.

Where Was He Born?

Clayton was born on December 25, 1916, in Rochester, Indiana.

His Family's Newspaper Business

The newspaper business was important in Clayton's family. His father, Bernard Clayton Sr., owned and edited a weekly newspaper called The Zionsville Times.

His Family Life

Bernard Clayton Jr.'s wife, Marjorie, often traveled with him on his adventures. His son, Jeffrey, became a reporter for the Indianapolis News. He also had a daughter named Susan Barnato. When he passed away, he had three grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Bernard Clayton Jr.'s Career Journey

As a young man, Clayton started working as a photographer for Life magazine. He later became a photo editor. He was promoted to manage the Time Life offices in Chicago and then in San Francisco.

Reporting During World War II

During World War II, Clayton became a military reporter for both Time and Life magazines. After the war, he moved to Honolulu. There, he managed a company that distributed magazines. He also worked briefly in public relations. He stopped working in corporate writing in 1964.

A Life-Changing Trip

In 1965, Clayton and his wife took a bicycle trip across Europe. This trip completely changed the direction of his life! They traveled all over the United States and Europe. They used a car, bicycles, a canal boat, and even a horse-drawn Gypsy wagon.

Working at Indiana University

In 1966, Indiana University hired him for a special project. This job was supposed to last only six months. However, it turned into a fourteen-year career as both a writer and an editor. He retired from that job in 1980.

Becoming a Cookbook Author

Clayton used his skills as a reporter to travel and interview people who baked. He looked for anyone with a recipe that really impressed him. Then, he would go back to his own kitchen and carefully recreate all the breads, muffins, pastries, soups, and stews he had found. This hard work led to his famous cookbooks. These books were very detailed and became important guides for cooking. One book, Bernard Clayton's Complete Book of Breads, was a huge success in the baking world. It was as important as the well-known "James Beard on Bread."

Bernard Clayton Jr.'s Famous Books

Bernard Clayton’s Complete Book of Breads

This book was first published in 1972. It was updated many times, including in 1987, 2003, and 2006. The 1987 edition was one of the first books to include instructions for different ways to make bread. It showed how to bake by hand, but also how to use modern kitchen tools like mixers with dough hooks and food processors. Clayton tested every recipe he collected during his travels in a professional kitchen. He shared his notes and mastered the baking methods he had seen.

The Breads of France

In 1978, his book The Breads of France was published. To write this book, he traveled 7,000 miles across France! He interviewed bakers, innkeepers, and home cooks to learn their secrets.

The Complete Book of Pastry

In 1981, The Complete Book of Pastry came out. This book was a very detailed collection of pastries from all over the world. A famous writer and chef named Craig Claiborne called it "one of the most important cookbooks of this year if not of this decade." This book showed that Clayton was a leading expert in writing about baking. Claiborne noted that he was "perhaps the most industrious specialist in the area of baking."

Cooking Across America

In the early 1990s, Clayton took a long trip across the United States. He met with home cooks to discover their unique recipes. The book Cooking Across America was published in 1993.

Bernard Clayton’s Complete Book of Small Breads

In 1998, Clayton explored small breads, rolls, and muffins in more detail. This book was a deeper look into some of the topics from his larger book, Bernard Clayton’s The Complete Book of Breads.

The Complete Book of Soups and Stews

This book was different from his other baking books. The Complete Book of Soups and Stews was published in 1984. It was reissued in 2006, at the same time as a revised edition of Bernard Clayton’s The Complete Book of Breads.

Other Articles

Clayton also wrote articles and shared recipes for newspapers and other publications. This included the Chicago Tribune.

His Passing

Bernard Clayton Jr. died on March 28, 2011, in Bloomington, Indiana. He was 94 years old.