Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site rtech.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!hplabs!amdahl!rtech!jeff From: jeff@rtech.UUCP (Jeff Lichtman) Newsgroups: net.wanted,net.cooks Subject: Re: Wanted: info on french bread Message-ID: <155@rtech.UUCP> Date: Fri, 14-Mar-86 13:49:13 EST Article-I.D.: rtech.155 Posted: Fri Mar 14 13:49:13 1986 Date-Received: Sun, 16-Mar-86 08:41:34 EST References: <43@btnix.UUCP> Organization: Relational Technology Inc, Alameda CA Lines: 28 Xref: watmath net.wanted:8399 net.cooks:6234 > > > My wife is French, we live in England. She very much misses being able > to buy proper French bread (what they call French bread over here is > just ordinary white "english" bread, made up into the baguette shape). > ... > Attempts to make it have only proved to be a partial success (I can > manage normal white bread without a problem). > > The question is, does anyone out there in netland know anything that > might help us? > > Nigel Titley The secret is water. French bread should be made with lots of water. When you bake it, put a pan of hot water on the rack just below the bread. It also helps to spray or brush water on the loaf a couple of times as it's baking. I wouldn't use an egg glaze on the crust. It will tend to make the crust too soft. Both eggs and milk tend to destroy the texture of French bread. The *only* liquid that should come in contact with the flour is water. -- Jeff Lichtman at rtech (Relational Technology, Inc.) "Saints should always be judged guilty until they are proved innocent..." {amdahl, sun}!rtech!jeff {ucbvax, decvax}!mtxinu!rtech!jeff