Greetings bakers, 

I'm opening a small bake shop, but I'm having trouble finding a few items in bulk at reasonable prices.

-Linen Lined Banneton:

         I found them online by Matfer Bourgeat, but they were $20-$30 each! That sounds crazy!? I was paying just $9  for each 1kg willow bannenton from Germany: http://brotformen.de/.  

         Must I order them from france? I found linen/cotten bannetons for about $5: http://www.meilleurduchef.com/cgi/mdc/l/fr/boutique/produits/dec-banneton_entoile_ovale_230.html Are there any other options? Should I just make my own?

Couche: I've also found couche in the US, but each peice seems to be $20, that also seems wild. Are there any places where I can buy a long peice and cut it myself? 

I guess I'm just looking for bulk suppliers for artisan bakeries. Do they exist? Thanks! 

I tend to economize on razor blades for slashing, using them quite a few times before throwing them away. I think I've been handicapping myself. I used a new blade for the last batch of ciabatta, and got aggressive with the slashing -- 1/4 inch deep, at a 45-degree angle to the surface of the boule. Result: great oven spring. My slashes expanded a whole inch, rather than the usual anemic 1/4 inch or so.

Hi everyone,

I have been reading posts on the forum for many months now and trying to gain wisdom on the topic of baguette scoring.  I have read almost every post on the subject but can't seem to get it right.  Out of about a dozen attempts at baguettes, I have successfully generated a nice ear/grigne one time.  Strangely enough, it was on the 3rd attempt.  Here is a picture:

I have been using Hamelman's Poolish Baguette and Hamelman's Straightdough Baguette for all attempts.  I have been using King Arthur flour and I usually do a 30-60 min autolyze and an extra fold to get sufficient gluten development.  I check the proofing with a "poke test" as most people do.  When the dimple very slowly returns after a poke, I consider it ready to bake.  I slash with a curved lame with a depth of ~ 1/4 in (or what I perceive to be a 1/4 in. It's difficult to say exactly).  I hold the blade at an angle (I think ~30-45 deg) to try to cut a flap of dough.  I cook the baguettes in a 460 degree oven (preheated for 45 min) on 1/2 in unglazed tiles.  For steam, I follow Hamelman's instructions: throw a few ice cubes into a cast iron skillet on the bottom shelf while slashing, slide the baguettes onto the stone, and then pour 1 cup of boiling water into the skillet.  I have followed this method for all attempts.

I think my shaping has improved in the past 4 months and I've tried to vary my slashing technique slightly to see what I'm doing wrong.  Now, I would like to request some advice.  I appreciate any guidance that anyone will offer.  Here are the pictures of my "ear-free" baguettes.  Individual photos can be seen at http://photobucket.com/atlbreadpics.  Thanks in advance.

On a positive note, I have eaten many many delicious sandwiches from all of this.  Thanks for your help!

Kyle

Hi, I am looking to buy a Lame, and found some online. But the blade on them all seems to extend horizontally out from the shaft. Like these ones: http://bakerybits.co.uk/Lams-and-Grignettes-C128876.aspx?sid=10763 What I am after is one where the blade extends out from the shaft at a different angle (almost like an L or a hockey stick), so that I can keep the sharp end of the blade cutting the bread while holding my hand upwards. Hope everyone understand what I mean... If you know of a good online source in Europe, please point me in the right direction. Best, Nicolaj

I have been trying to score with a curved razor.  When I slash the dough, it basically gets caught in a snag and I can't move it all the way through.   I have read Hamelman's detailed instructions as well as read a lot on this site, but I'm still not sure what I am doing wrong.   I don't have this problem with the serrated knife that I use but I would like to be able to use the curved blade for baguettes.   I recently bought a lame thinking that maybe my homemade one was the problem, but that hasn't helped.   I still end up getting snagged in the dough.   Thank. -Varda

"Bec de Canard" (Literally, "duck's bill.) is the name given to a sharply curved and hooked French lame. I've ogled these on French baking supply web sites and wondered how they would compare with a razor blade type lame for scoring breads. I recently found them from a U.S. source by following a link from another site. The price was quite modest, so I indulged my curiosity. If anyone else is interested, my source is Bridge Kitchenware (lames).

So, now I'm the proud owner of a couple of these beauties:

I bet you can figure out why they are called "bec de canard." (But it actually looks more like a bec d'oie to me.)

No one photo can provide a sense of this implement's true shape, so here's a more lateral view:

Pretty sharp angle, eh? 

Anyway, I want to try out this lame, but I have no firm idea just how to apply it to a loaf. I tried it on a couple bâtards made with a rather slack dough. I used the "bill" to kind of hook into the surface and pulled. Not pretty.

If anyone has had instruction in and experience with this type of lame, please help me out!

Thanks.

David

Barbara Kraus asked a question about how to get a razor blade installed on the lame handle from TMB (SFBI). I thought some photos would be most informative.

Lame handle with double edged razor blade installed

Tip of handle on which the razor blade gets installed

Close up of installed blade, convex view

Close up of installed blade, concave view

I hope this helps.

David

P.S. To get an idea of the range of lames available to the french baker, check out this web page (recommend doing so while seated): Meilleur du Chef - Lame de boulanger page 

Was wanting some information from anyone whom has used both. I currently use the Pure Komachi 2 Tomato knife but was wondering if there was an advantage to using an actual Lame.

Hi,

I received a wonderful new lame this December and just can't figure out how to use it.  

I have tried to follow the directions in Hamelmann's "Bread", but even with this guidance, it seems I can't get a nice cut - more like a drag through the dough.

Is this a problem with my dough?  Or my technique?  (possibly both)

ANy help is greatly appreciated!  I'm about to go back to my serrated knife for slashing and I know that's not for the best.  :-)

MommaT