steam pan placement
I'm wondering about putting my steam pan on a shelf ABOVE the baking stone. Mostly, directions say to put the steam pan on the bttom shelf. But I saw a photo of Peter Reinhart making baguettes and he had a lipped baking sheet on the top shelf ABOVE his baguettes. Any thoughts on this?
It would be quite a bit easier to pour in the hot water if the baking pan were on the top. But then I'm wondering in the steam would be properly disbursed. Am I being too anal about this?
Also, is it worth the trouble to "spritz" the walls of the oven? And what if some droplets of water hit my preheated baking stone? Danger of cracking?
After 40 years of old fashioned bread baking, these techniques are all new to me. But it's time to drag myself kicking and screaming into the modern era. Pain a l'ancienne baguettes here I come!