"Kenneth" > wrote in message
...
> To get the benefits of steam, it must be generated outside the oven...

Pardon me, Kenneth, but IMHO that's a bunch of hooey. Many commercial deck
ovens (Bongards included) generate their steam inside the oven by spraying
water on heated metal plates (how does your Bongard generate steam?). Why
shouldn't the same technique work well for the home baker? In fact, it
works quite well for me. At the bottom of my oven, I have a roasting pan
full of cleaned landscaping stones that is heated when the oven preheats
(with apologies to D. Adams). When I load my loaves into the oven, I toss
1/2 - 1 cup of extremely hot water onto the stones and quickly close the
door, thus producing voluminous amounts of steam. The result is a nice,
shiny crisp crust (photos previously posted).

- Steve Brandt

On Mon, 16 Aug 2004, Steve B wrote:

> works quite well for me. At the bottom of my oven, I have a roasting pan
> full of cleaned landscaping stones that is heated when the oven preheats
> (with apologies to D. Adams). When I load my loaves into the oven, I toss
> 1/2 - 1 cup of extremely hot water onto the stones and quickly close the
> door, thus producing voluminous amounts of steam. The result is a nice,
> shiny crisp crust (photos previously posted).
> - Steve Brandt

To better understand this for my own kitchen, I assume you have a
"conventional" home-type oven. Gas or electric? How long do you preheat
the oven, particularly since you're heating a large box of rocks, as well?

Dave

"Dave Bell" > wrote in message
rea.net...
> To better understand this for my own kitchen, I assume you have a
> "conventional" home-type oven. Gas or electric? How long do you preheat
> the oven, particularly since you're heating a large box of rocks, as well?

I do, indeed, have a conventional home gas oven. The oven is preheated for
approximately 1 hour prior to the bake.

- Steve Brandt

"Dave Bell" > wrote in message
rea.net...
> To better understand this for my own kitchen, I assume you have a
> "conventional" home-type oven. Gas or electric? How long do you preheat
> the oven, particularly since you're heating a large box of rocks, as well?

I do, indeed, have a conventional home gas oven. The oven is preheated for
approximately 1 hour prior to the bake.

- Steve Brandt

"Steve B" > wrote in message=20
news:Bg8Uc.21375$mD.3847@attbi_s02...

> (with apologies to D. Adams). When I load my loaves into the oven, I =
toss
> 1/2 - 1 cup of extremely hot water onto the stones and quickly close =
the
> door, thus producing voluminous amounts of steam. The result is a =
nice,
> shiny crisp crust (photos previously posted).

Why not say where the photos are posted? Why are you apologizing to me?

---
DickA

P.S. The pictures at the Yahoo Group archive are hard to get to for =
most people
because signing-up is required. www.zippyimages.com is much easier. A =
slice
image, or one of a cut loaf, is good for appreciating the crust.

"Dick Adams" > wrote in message
...

> Why not say where the photos are posted? Why are you apologizing to me?

The pictures were posted on Dusty's website, the URL of which I don't
currently have at hand. A search of the r.f.s archives should provide the
URL, for those interested. Apologies were provided in jest, knowing of your
previously professed indifference to (some might even call it disdain for)
oven preheating.

- Steve Brandt

"Steve B" > wrote in message=20
news:hJfUc.22925$mD.16172@attbi_s02...

> Apologies were provided in jest, knowing of your previously professed=20
> indifference to (some might even call it disdain for) oven preheating.

Well, when it comes to approaching energy independence, it is a step
backwards. And then, there is the matter of contaminating the =
atmosphere
with greenhouse gases ...

---
DickA

Try: http://www.innerlodge.com/Recipes/Bread/Pix/

Dusty
--
Remove STORE to reply
"Steve B" > wrote in message
news:hJfUc.22925$mD.16172@attbi_s02...
> "Dick Adams" > wrote in message
> ...
>
> > Why not say where the photos are posted? Why are you apologizing to me?
>
> The pictures were posted on Dusty's website, the URL of which I don't
> currently have at hand. A search of the r.f.s archives should provide the
> URL, for those interested. Apologies were provided in jest, knowing of
your
> previously professed indifference to (some might even call it disdain for)
> oven preheating.
>
> - Steve Brandt
>
>

"Steve B" > wrote in message=20
news:hJfUc.22925$mD.16172@attbi_s02...

> Apologies were provided in jest, knowing of your previously professed=20
> indifference to (some might even call it disdain for) oven preheating.

Well, when it comes to approaching energy independence, it is a step
backwards. And then, there is the matter of contaminating the =
atmosphere
with greenhouse gases ...

---
DickA

Try: http://www.innerlodge.com/Recipes/Bread/Pix/

Dusty
--
Remove STORE to reply
"Steve B" > wrote in message
news:hJfUc.22925$mD.16172@attbi_s02...
> "Dick Adams" > wrote in message
> ...
>
> > Why not say where the photos are posted? Why are you apologizing to me?
>
> The pictures were posted on Dusty's website, the URL of which I don't
> currently have at hand. A search of the r.f.s archives should provide the
> URL, for those interested. Apologies were provided in jest, knowing of
your
> previously professed indifference to (some might even call it disdain for)
> oven preheating.
>
> - Steve Brandt
>
>

"Dick Adams" > wrote in message
...

> Why not say where the photos are posted? Why are you apologizing to me?

The pictures were posted on Dusty's website, the URL of which I don't
currently have at hand. A search of the r.f.s archives should provide the
URL, for those interested. Apologies were provided in jest, knowing of your
previously professed indifference to (some might even call it disdain for)
oven preheating.

- Steve Brandt

On Mon, 16 Aug 2004 19:53:06 GMT, "Steve B" >
wrote:

>Pardon me, Kenneth, but IMHO that's a bunch of hooey. Many commercial deck
>ovens (Bongards included) generate their steam inside the oven by spraying
>water on heated metal plates (how does your Bongard generate steam?). Why
>shouldn't the same technique work well for the home baker?

Hi Steve,

No, the Bongard, (mine and others) generates steam _outside_ the oven
by spraying water on heated steel plates.

Indeed, as you go on to say, that same technique does work as well for
the home baker.

All the best,

--
Kenneth

If you email... Please remove the "SPAMLESS."

On Mon, 16 Aug 2004 19:53:06 GMT, "Steve B" >
wrote:

>Pardon me, Kenneth, but IMHO that's a bunch of hooey. Many commercial deck
>ovens (Bongards included) generate their steam inside the oven by spraying
>water on heated metal plates (how does your Bongard generate steam?). Why
>shouldn't the same technique work well for the home baker?

Hi Steve,

No, the Bongard, (mine and others) generates steam _outside_ the oven
by spraying water on heated steel plates.

Indeed, as you go on to say, that same technique does work as well for
the home baker.

All the best,

--
Kenneth

If you email... Please remove the "SPAMLESS."

On Mon, 16 Aug 2004, Steve B wrote:

> works quite well for me. At the bottom of my oven, I have a roasting pan
> full of cleaned landscaping stones that is heated when the oven preheats
> (with apologies to D. Adams). When I load my loaves into the oven, I toss
> 1/2 - 1 cup of extremely hot water onto the stones and quickly close the
> door, thus producing voluminous amounts of steam. The result is a nice,
> shiny crisp crust (photos previously posted).
> - Steve Brandt

To better understand this for my own kitchen, I assume you have a
"conventional" home-type oven. Gas or electric? How long do you preheat
the oven, particularly since you're heating a large box of rocks, as well?

Dave

"Steve B" > wrote in message=20
news:Bg8Uc.21375$mD.3847@attbi_s02...

> (with apologies to D. Adams). When I load my loaves into the oven, I =
toss
> 1/2 - 1 cup of extremely hot water onto the stones and quickly close =
the
> door, thus producing voluminous amounts of steam. The result is a =
nice,
> shiny crisp crust (photos previously posted).

Why not say where the photos are posted? Why are you apologizing to me?

---
DickA

P.S. The pictures at the Yahoo Group archive are hard to get to for =
most people
because signing-up is required. www.zippyimages.com is much easier. A =
slice
image, or one of a cut loaf, is good for appreciating the crust.

On Mon, 16 Aug 2004 19:53:06 GMT, "Steve B" >
wrote:

>Pardon me, Kenneth, but IMHO that's a bunch of hooey. Many commercial deck
>ovens (Bongards included) generate their steam inside the oven by spraying
>water on heated metal plates (how does your Bongard generate steam?). Why
>shouldn't the same technique work well for the home baker?

Hi Steve,

No, the Bongard, (mine and others) generates steam _outside_ the oven
by spraying water on heated steel plates.

Indeed, as you go on to say, that same technique does work as well for
the home baker.

All the best,

--
Kenneth

If you email... Please remove the "SPAMLESS."