"Steve W" > wrote in message =
...

> You are right, you certainly have made an effort. My guess is that =
your
> problem stems from the fact that you can not close your oven vent and
> run the oven at the same time.

Looks like there is not much hope until I get a better oven!

> ... To get adequate steam in a vented oven may require external steam
> generation as in Kenneth's pressure cooker setup ...

There is just one thing that makes me suspicious about Kenneth's
pressure cooker trick. If it is so good, why did he lay out big bucks =
for
the Bongard?

> [ ... ]

> ... See Wing & Scott "The Bread Builders" pp 93-97. Perhaps the
humidity enhances the Maillard reations?=20

I forgot what it said on those pages. Perhaps? Perhaps not!=20

> All I know is that the taste is *much* improved.

Improved by the effect of humidity on the Maillard reactions?

> ... But enough to make a huge improvement and that is what counts....

Huge is good. Who can argue with huge?

> Flavor is my main concern. And I am not claiming that steam enhances
> the coloring of the crust. I think the stone is mainly responsible =
for
> that. =20

I think the slab can brown the bottom if it is hot enough to start, and =
to=20
some extent, keep the bottom surface from drying out. I cannot imagine
what effect it might have on the coloring, or any property, of the=20
portion of the dough surface which it does not contact.

You are probably not old enough to remember Harvey Bennett. Harvey
preferred sourdough made with bakers' yeast, because the flavor was=20
better. And he was right, of course. When it comes to taste, persons
having a good sense of it are bound to excel in discussions where taste
is a parameter.

> No, I am NOT going to bake one without the stone for comparison.
> I think the result is obvious.

People who have apprised themselves of the content of the popular=20
culinary literature usually follow the course you have selected. =
Obviously=20
you are doing the right thing.

> > BTW, the crusts in my photo were quite evenly brown, except for =
coups. =20
> > You apparently misinterpreted some shadows.

> I was referring to the cross-section shot. The lower edges appear
> nearly white. How would shadows create such an effect?

With those loaves, the bottom crust was not only paler, but it was =
chewier.
Like it would be with abundant steaming. My best guess is that the =
right
quality of steam gives a chewy crust, and rapid delivery of heat to the
dough. After that, as the dough surface dries out, it browns. I do not
think that the oven humidity obtained with the various steaming tricks=20
proposed to home bakers by book writers, and by r.f.s. advice givers,
counts for much.

There a couple of things to keep in mind with respect to my way -- I=20
am taking most of the rise before the bake starts under a condition of
high humidity, and usually starting in a cold oven. That makes quite a=20
bit of difference in the rationale for the procedure.

--=20
Dick Adams
<firstname> dot <lastname>at bigfoot dot com