It's nice to see that you were able to achieve a nice crumb structure,
even with your lower hydration dough. There seems to be a common belief that
only by using very wet doughs can a baker achieve an open irregular texture.
In my experience this is just myth.
Certainly a wetter dough may have more potential to create an open
crumb, but it is not the main deciding factor. I've made bread with great
open irregular crumb texture using very stiff dough (60% hydration). I've
also made bread with dissapointingly tight texture using very wet dough
(80%).
In my experience, it's the bulk proof that is most important in
determining crumb texture. I'm curious what other bakers have to say on this
matter.

Trevor

"Ed Bechtel" > wrote in message
...
> JB wrote:
> Did you use rye, yeast, milk? I cannot get loaves like yours.
>
> Ed replies:
> Sorry to take so long, JB. Just got back from business trip.
>
> I did not use rye, yeast, milk, or oil.
>
> For this loaf, I had just bought a new start off of ebay from some lady
> named
> Linda to see if her starter would be more sour than the one I made. It
> wasn't.
> After a few days of developing the new start I just made a simple loaf.
>
> 12 ounces of Wheatmontana white bread flour
> 7 ounces of water
> 5 ounces of fresh lively starter.
> 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
>
> Mixed with spoon. Rest a few minutes. Hand knead 5 minutes. Rise in 80-90F
> oven
> 3 hours with interim stretch and fold. Stretch and fold into round ball.
> Put in
> heavily floured linen covered basket. Rise 1 hour at 80-90F. Put basket in
> plastic grocery bag into frig till morning because it was just too late.
> Removed from frig, preheated stone in oven for 1 hour. Flipped loaf onto
> parchment, slashed, then immediately onto stone. 500F for 5 minutes 425F
> for 30
> minutes.
>
> The hydration is very low for this dough so it is easy to handle and easy
> to
> get high loft during the rise and bake. Wheatmontana white flour is also
> very
> helpful. It is like powerbait is to fishing for getting a strong dough.
> (I
> don't fish).
> I'll take photos next time to illustrate the rise. Samartha's web site
> has
> good photo essay on making loaves.
>
> Ed Bechtel