NorthWest sourdough


I've given up waiting for the stoneware cloches designed specifically for baguettes.

Don't you just love new toys? I got two new things today. This clay baker, which I already used four times, for four separate loaves of NorthWest sourdough bread, and a new Nikon lens, their Nikkor 50mm
f1.4, which is awesome. Now all I have to do is learn how to use it expertly. It's a little weird using a lens that doesn't zoom. You must step forward or back in order to compose within the frame, and do that stepping within the limitation of the range for the lens.

‹rage›
I ordered Sassafras™ cloche from Amazon. They said it was backordered and they'd notify me when available. I waited two months. What the heck, I wasn't in a hurry. Then they notified me they weren't going to carry the item any longer, which nullified my having waited. I was trying to take advantage of Prime customership which involves free two-day (ha ha) shipping. The joke was on me. So. I ordered from another vendor that indicated the item was available. I waited. Again I was notified the item is backordered and was provided a delivery date of a month distant. I waited not so patiently. Then the new vendor notified the date was moved back another month. That was a month ago. I'm still waiting.
‹/rage›

That whole time I was checking out what is available on eBay. Nothing really close to a cloche specifically for baguettes, but they do have lots of clay bakers for chickens, roasts and such. Not really the right shape so I debated internally while time elapsed. Eventually I decided to go with eBay for a non-bread clay baker with a lid, and I couldn't be more pleased. This closed cloche designed for chickens is perfect for bread, when inverted to avoid the raised ribs designed to elevate the bird above its juices.

Through feedback I told the eBay vendor what I was up to and was emailed back with a bombardment of questions.  Turns out the vendor also bakes sourdough but never thought of using this clay baker for a cloche.  I've been using Magnalite pots and bisque bowls with pizza stones in an attempt to get at the same thing, but this clay baker in conjunction with an exceedingly wet dough and extremely high oven, totally ups my game. The result is equal to anything produced by professional bakers. 


NorthWest sourdough loaf
NorthWest sourdough slice



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