On Fri, 08 Apr 2005 13:57:15 -0400
RedBear > wrote:

> On Wed, 6 Apr 2005 19:24:31 -0600, Eric Jorgensen >
> wrote:
>
> >
> >
> > Yeah, it's tapered at the edge.
> >
>
>
> On the FAQ page of the web-site they show a loaf of bread on a stone
> with the stone positioned wide-side up
> (http://www.bakingstone.com/faq.php). Which way are you positioning
> the stone? If wide-side down, is there a reason?


Yeah, nearly all of their photos, and their logo, show it narrow side
up.

The sheet of paper that comes with it has the same logo in the
letterhead, narrow side up, and then at the bottom has a diagram indicating
that it should be used wide side up.

I used to think ill of these kinds of aesthetic mistakes, until one of
my friends pointed out that engineering oriented companies are too busy
getting the work done to fuss with the marketing. Still curious, though.

A better question is why their pizza artwork usually shows a pan pizza.
I have one of those pans, I've used it successfully, and find i like pizza
off the stone better.

The wide side has some texture, a subtle rise and fall to the surface,
probably due to the cement being drizzled in and not entirely smoothed out.

A less even cooking surface probably improves the escape of water vapor
during baking, or something.

If you search through google groups, I could swear that Hans Kuntze
(who's a far better and more experienced baker than i) explained it to
someone in the last 12-18 months.

You could always drop the inventor an email, too. his address is on the
website.