We visited Nashoba Brook Bakery in West Concord MA and had a chance to see the oven - up close and personal. It was quite an experience. We do bakery tours for fun but this was the first time I ever got close enough to touch the oven. (Yes, it was hot.)

Mimi

I bought a new baking stone at Sur La Table last week. It is a lot heavier and thicker than your ordinary baking stone (14 x 16 x 5/8). I'm really impressed with how it is performing. My oven is definitely getting and staying hotter and my breads are cooking more quickly and getting browner. My new stone, made by Best Manufacturers in Portland, OR, is lighter in color than ordinary stones and seems to be made of a different type of material. Anyway, I highly recommend it. It was worth the $42.

--Pamela

A member of Peter Reinhart's bread forum posted a link to an article on how to make your oven capable of producing a great pizza published in the LA Times today. Read it here.

--Pamela

Hi: As I mentioned in a post last week, it was that trip to Switzerland with my family that sent me over the edge...I am now baking several days a week.

My middle child (it figures!) is a culinary snob and would like me to replicate some of the breads we had in Switzerland.  Attempts to pass off Leader's "Silesian Light Rye" as something from Basel have only been marginally successful (altho it was a delicious loaf, nonetheless).

  I have a lovely, cholesterol-laden recipe for Zopf, the Swiss braid, but am looking to increase my repertoire. Does anyone have any recipes they can share?

Paula

PS: I have already told this child that he needs a career that provides an expense account.