On 25 Jan 2006 10:11:33 -0800, "aem" > wrote:

>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
>
Yes to misting. I was supposed to spray the loaves with a fine mist of
water before cooking. I had nothing to spray them with, so flicked
water lightly over then and also put a pan of water in the oven.