Make Really Great French Bread

“Like the sun in all its glory suddenly breaking through the 

shades of gloom."

Julia Child after finally succeeding in making real French bread

There have been a lot of shades of gloom here in the Northwoods.  Yes, it is gray and snowy outside, but the lack of a good bakery in the area is what really makes it gloomy.  The spongy, overblown slug shaped thing that is labeled French bread at the local grocery store is hardly comparable to the sun or anything else that might brighten one's day.  Unfortunately, other stores in the area don't offer anything much better.

Good French bread makes me happy. The taste, the texture, the memories are substantial and sunny.  My goal is to bake really glorious French bread.  My attempts with the bread machine have not been consistent.  Even if I can get the taste, the texture and the shape are not up to par.  I have tried using the machine only for the kneading and the rising, but this hasn't worked well either.  I am beginning to have some success with a recipe from a book Gwen gave me for Christmas, Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois.  I've been using their recipe and baking the bread on a Chicago Metallic Professional Perforated French Bread Pan, which Gwen also gave me for Christmas.

French Bread Pan

I'm finally getting the crustiness I've been looking for.  Brushing the dough with water prior to putting the loaf in the oven and then keeping a tray of water on the oven's lower rack helps provide the crusty crust.  The taste is good, but the inside texture isn't quite right. I don't think it is rising or resting enough before I put it in the 400 degree oven for 30 minutes.

The task of making really great French bread continues.