"Mike Avery" > wrote in message
news:mailman.3.1113669861.6903.rec.food.baking@mai l.otherwhen.com...
> Her Subj. wrote:
>
>>I am not sure what the problem is --I don't have a thermometer, so I
>>took it out of the oven at the suggest 20 minutes and it was all cooked
>>inside, however, the outside was not completely "brown" as described by
>>the author. More like a dark tan.
>>
>>
> There are several possible issues here. One is that poolish is best used
> after it just subsides. That is, it rises to a peak and then starts to
> collapse. You can see contractions, or wrinkles, in its surface. I think
> you let the poolish work way too long. Usually 12 to 18 hours is about
> right. You were up around fifty some odd. You risk getting some serious
> off flavors.
>
> Also, on the thermometer front, you should get two. One is a quick
> reading thermometer to check the temp of ingredients, doughs, poolishes,
> starters, roasts, and loaves of bread. You should also get an oven
> thermometer. It is amazing how far off many oven thermostats are. And,
> when you get an oven thermometer, you need to check how long it takes you
> oven to get to the desired temperature, how far off it is for different
> temperatures you use, and how well it holds temperatures.
>
> I have found that oven thermostats are often off by different amounts at
> different temperatures, so it can be off 25 degrees at 350 but 100 at 450.
> And, many ovens don't hold temperatures well.
>
> If your oven doesn't hold a temperature well, or if your thermostat is
> off, clean your oven and then make sure that the thermostat's sensor is
> not touching the wall of the oven.
>
> Finally, most of bread's flavor is in the crust. If it is too light, or
> too thin, you won't get ful flavor. Many Americans are afraid to let the
> bread get too dark. Many more are afraid to buy bread if the crust is too
> dark. Both are missing out on much of the greatest joys of bread.
>
> Good luck,
> Mike
>
I am interested in your statement "...most of the bread's flavor is in the
crust...." No matter what crust I end up with; i.e., light, medium, dark,
my crust taste NEVER is tasty to me. It always has a slightly bitter taste.
Sometimes I've wondered if it is the water I'm using to spray the oven with;
my oven isn't clean enough and the crust takes on the oven smell; the pan in
the oven that I pour hot water in for steam might not be the correct metal,
such as iron vs. stainless? It doesn't matter what flour I use, it always
has this taste to me. I use mostly King Arthur flour nowadays, but when I
wasn't, it was the same. Sometimes I make biga, polish, other called for
"starters," but it is always the same -- just can't figure it out. When I
buy bread from markets; i.e., Wegman's, Whole Foods, it doesn't have this
bitter taste.
Dee