Quote Originally Posted by tulip View Post
I'm going to get a dutch oven! I bet Southern States carries them....

...This bread is fantastic, just like Lisa says. It's so great to have the dough in the fridge ready to bake. I took a loaf to a small luncheon on Sunday and it was a huge hit.

It think I'm going to swing for the book. I've been using recipes from the NYT adapted from the book. It's time I get the book.
I ordered my Dutch oven from here, I think someone right here on TE recommended them:
http://www.cajuncastiron.com/eshop/1...uctCode=10487A
Of course you have to anticipate that the postage is going to be relatively high for heavy cast iron items.

I also ordered a smaller saucepan with lid and handle that will be good for cooking/heating food and water on the hot coals inside our living room woodstove when the electricity is out. Last time I used a cheap aluminum saucepan but I was afraid the hot coals would start melting it! Besides, I didn't savor heating my tea water or soup in aluminum.

I got the 6 qt dutch oven which matches the older one I have- the two will fit side by side in my oven to bake two loaves. the 6 quart is pretty big, and these artisan loaves aren't exactly huge from my recipes.
If you don't already know, the 'camp style' Dutch ovens have a flatter lid with a lip sticking up all around the outside top to hold hot coals on top of the lid if you are baking on a campfire, thus heating/baking the food from both top and bottom. Obviously you don't need this feature in a kitchen oven, and it's better to have a traditional domed lid for bread baking, to give extra rising room for the loaf.

It's cool to not have to bother with the steam pan or spraying to get a crispy crust! But I do highly recommend using parchment to make it easy to lift and gently place the loaf into the pot without having it deflate and without burning your fingers. I don't know how else i could do it! The parchment gets brown and brittle after baking, and can only be used once. Don't worry about parchment corners sticking out from under the lid while baking.

I just had some parmesan-laced boule toast with black sesame seeds for breakfast....mmmmmm.....