A well-thought out and reasoned response,Will. I might also add that the
grigne (pardon my French, Dick Adams) produced by the appropriate amount of
oven spring in a properly slashed loaf provides a particularly efficient
pathway for venting of moisture, leading to "deeper roasting of the interior
structure, gelatinization of the starches...", as you mentioned.

Proper oven spring for artisan breads is not just something for the baker's
viewing pleasure.

- Steve Brandt

"williamwaller" > wrote in message
news:mailman.3.1090451198.252.rec.food.sourdough@m ail.otherwhen.com...
> It's not clear to me why we should relegate oven spring to the category of
> "no virtue whatever". For example, getting some additional "push" in a
loaf
> adds visual interest to the scoring.
>
> I suspect a loaf proofed to the theoretical maximum cannot have the
optimum
> crumb structure. Meaning the holes will be less generous, the loaf will
vent
> moisture less efficiently, which in turn might not support a deeper
roasting
> of the interior structure, gelatinization of the starches and so forth.
> Reinhart, in Bread Baker's Apprentice, has an interesting discussion on
page
> 101.
>
> I'm suggesting maximum fermentation may not ultimately equate to optimum
> flavor since it intersects with baking variables that also affect flavor.
>
> Or... Some oven spring may be desirable to facilitate flavor.