Kathy in NZ wrote:
> [snip]
> I used my bread machine to mix the dough, then did the rest by hand. I
> am keen to try another batch next weekend, to perfect them.
>
Careful, trying to perfect French bread can become an obsession. ;-)
Julia Child went through all sorts of tips and tricks trying to get the
perfect combination of crustiness and airy interior. Does your
recipe/procedure talk about misting or putting a pan of water in the
oven?

Incidentally, when I was making bread I discovered that it often went
stale faster than we could eat it. Learned an important lesson from
that, namely, that (after making bread crumbs until you have more than
enough in the freezer) it is OKAY to throw out the stale stuff and make
a new loaf. -aem