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 Moderator
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It's not easy! You'd think something with just four ingredients (flour, water, yeast and salt) would be. I've been trying off and on for a few years and have made some pretty good bread in a baguette shape, but I've never got the texture and crust right for a real baguette. I've been using instructions from Peter Reinhardt's The Bread Baker's Apprentice and from another book that's no longer in print called "No Need to Knead" by Suzanne Dunaway. I'd been trying to cook it on a baking stone, but I recently bought a baguette pan to see if that will help me get the crust I'm after. I think the major difficulty is that you just can't get the same results with a home oven as with a commercial bread oven. My best results have been with bread flour. I think it's Pillsbury, in a brown bag that mentions artisanal breads (sorry, I move flour into cannisters so I don't have a bag to refer to). I think King Arthur sells a European style bread flour too, although I haven't tried it yet.
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| Posts: 7463 | Location: Sacramento, CA | Registered: 18 June 2001 |    |
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Slow Traveler
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The second volume of Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking has detailed directions on how to make various kinds of bread, including the traditional baguette. It has diagrams and explanations of how and why things work - like why you want a blast of steam to improve the crust. Almost 40 years old, but still a classic.
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| Posts: 131 | Location: Dordogne, France | Registered: 08 March 2006 |    |
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 Slow Traveler
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Chris - Those recipes never work unless your wearing a beret and have a filterless gitane hanging out of your mouth... -Kevin
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| Posts: 1118 | Location: Provence | Registered: 13 February 2004 |    |
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Traveler
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I am not a bread baker (lousy oven in small apt); but I DO read a lot of recipes...try Googling The Art of Eating. This is a lovely quarterly publication by Edward Behr, who investigates food, does thoughtful articles in depth, and is incredibly knowlegdable and readable. The website has a list of back issues, and a recipe index for finding specifics. There have been many articles about bread baking (history, what makes French bread different, how to get results in US, recommended bread baking books, etc). The A of E also has issues devoted to other single subjects (certain wines, specific cheeses), and to the food of certain regions usually in France or Italy, sometimes in the US...also book review, and more. I use it as a travel guide, and recommend it very highly.
good luck
Karen
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| Posts: 97 | Location: san francisco | Registered: 08 March 2007 |    |
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 Moderator
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quote: a filterless gitane
So that's the flavor that's missing! Would you send me a carton or two?
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| Posts: 7463 | Location: Sacramento, CA | Registered: 18 June 2001 |    |
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 Slow Traveler
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Chris - No can do. Against my sanctimonious anti-smoking religion. Oops - guess that should have been posted on the "smoking in france" thread. -Kevin p.s.: only three months to go till we can all eat in peace.
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| Posts: 1118 | Location: Provence | Registered: 13 February 2004 |    |
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 Slow Traveler
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it will not work; the French in South Florida import their machines and supplies to do it.All the bakeries have French machines,and supplies. I was part of the expat group there,and met all the entrepreneurs!
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 Slow Traveler
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quote: home baking
well of course home baking wont taste or feeel the same as commercial baking; but as i said, you wont replicate a French baguette as is. One more reason to make you come back to France 
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 Moderator
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A pan of water in the bottom of the oven is supposed to help, and a quick spritz in the oven or right on the loaf. Be careful with that spritzer, though, and don't hit the hot glass on the inside of the door of your oven. That's how I cracked mine. I found that special hard King Arthur flour at Whole Foods yesterday. Sometime this weekend I'll try it and maybe post a photo of my result, if it's not too pathetic.
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| Posts: 7463 | Location: Sacramento, CA | Registered: 18 June 2001 |    |
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 Slow Traveler
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Chris - We want a photo - NO MATTER WHAT THE RESULT ! And remember, there is always Photoshop... -Kevin
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| Posts: 1118 | Location: Provence | Registered: 13 February 2004 |    |
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 Moderator
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OK, OK, I'll do photos. I found this great Julia Child video with a very good demonstration of technique. The recipe I'm going to use calls for a starter (or poolish). I'll start that tonight and make the bread tomorrow.
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| Posts: 7463 | Location: Sacramento, CA | Registered: 18 June 2001 |    |
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 Slow Traveler
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Chris, I hope it turns out delicious and tasty. I'm sure it will be fun to make. Do send a picture.
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