Hello! I received a Pampered Chef Bread Crock for Christmas, and I
have only a vague idea of how to use it. I've never seen or heard of
such a thing. A quick internet search yielded little more than a bunch
of auctions, so I'm posting here in hopes of some advice.

Basically, it's an unglazed stoneware container about 8" tall and 5"
inside diameter. Drill a hole in the bottom and it would make a nice
flower pot. The picture on the box suggests that the bread will rise
well beyond the rim and bake to a perfect, billowy golden crust. Not
sure how much use I have for a skinny, 8" tall loaf, but...

My bread baking skills are limited, to say the yeast (er, I mean
least). I usually just form the dough into a ball, score it, and let
it bake on a pizza stone. Not pretty, but it usually works out.

Before I ruin a loaf using the crock, does anyone have any experience
with one? Any advice on how to adjust time/temp for a typical bread
recipe? Is there any special history behind the bread crock? ("This
traditional stoneware was used by our great-great grandmothers, who
baked perfect artisan loaves in bread crocks that were passed down from
generation to generation. Much like a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet,
bread crocks are considered valuable culinary heirlooms not only for
the generations of love and care behind them, but for the lustrous
patina of natural oils and wild yeasts." Or something like that.)
Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Joseph