"Dick Adams" > wrote in message
...
"Fred" > wrote in message
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"Kenneth" > wrote in message
...

> (Steaming the bread) is practical, inexpensive, and easy...
> (boiler on the range top, tube to convey the steam into the
> vent at the back of the oven.)

>Pishtosh! Farting in the Grand Canyon is about as consequential.

> Spraying the bread does not do the same thing as would steam...

>Right! It destroys the tension the doughskin where the dough is
>wet, and makes a big mess out of the rise.

Hi Dick,

So, you ignore all additions of water to the oven itself? I have an electric
oven at home. I used to put the ice cubes in the cast iron, but that was
detrimental to my cast iron. Then I just poured some water in the bottom of
my oven, but that was unpredictable. Now I spray with a fine spritzer and I
get pretty good results.

Obivously, my argument is purely anecdotal - I've never tried baking without
a moisture addition. Do you have a theoretical reason for not adding
moisture? According to the reading I've done and my experience in the
bakery - you need moisture to gelatinize the carbohydrates in the crust in
order to form a nice thick crust (or this crust if you prefer to not let it
dry out).

Do you have some other information of which I am unaware?

Thanks - Tom