The lame literally translates to a "blade," but to the artisan baker, it is the fundamental wand used to direct the final transformation of the loaf. Pronounced lahm, this tool consists of a razor-sharp edge—often a replaceable double-edged blade—affixed to a handle, or manche, which allows for the swift, shallow incisions required for proper scoring. Historically, before the availability of industrial steel, bakers would use sharpened pieces of flint or simple kitchen knives, but the specialized, thin profile of the modern lame was perfected to ensure the blade does not "drag" or snag on the delicate, fermented skin of the dough. In the world of sourdough, the lame is used to create the grignage, providing a deliberate path for the steam to escape and allowing the bread to reach its full potential during the oven spring without bursting at the seams. Mastery of the blade requires a firm hand and a quick spirit, often following the détente and final shaping, to ensure that the croûte develops with both beauty and structural purpose.

In the realm of artisanal French baking, température de base—literally translating to "base temperature"—is a fundamental mathematical concept used to ensure consistency in the fermentation of your sourdough. Pronounced tahm-pay-rah-tyoor duh bahz, this figure represents the sum of three critical variables: the ambient air temperature, the temperature of the flour, and the temperature of the water. Example Calculation: If you want a Desired Dough Temperature (DDT) of 78°F, here is how you do the math: 1. Start with 240 (This is 78 (DDT) x 3 plus a small buffer). 2. Subtract Room Temp: Let’s say it’s 70°F. (240 - 70 = 170) 3. Subtract Flour Temp: Likely also 70°F. (170 - 70 = 100) 4. Subtract Friction: 2°F for hand mixing. (100 - 2 = 98) Your Result: You should use 98°F water to ensure your dough starts its life at the perfect 78°F. This formula lets you focus on the variable you are most able to control: water temperature. Give this a try the next time the weather is warmer or cooler than is ideal for your dough. And if you are using a mixer, try subtracting 5 or 6 degrees for the friction factor.

Hope you all have been well. All the bakes I just scrolled through look wonderful! That Miche!!! I have literally zero free time these last couple of months between work picking up and news of a new baby on the way. I have consciously been trying to stay off my phone at home to support my partner the best way I can. Glad to see the group consistently growing here (as expected). Welcome all new bakers! Great job David and the rest of this awesome community. I will do my best to check in more from work🤷‍♂️, but until then keep feeding those starters and I'll do the same.

Haven’t had a lot of time to bake in a while. Had a “no plans” weekend so obviously I had to take advantage and bake. Sourdough discard cinnamon rolls were AMAZING. Made a loaf of sourdough. Still learning some trial and errors but hey.. progress is progress.

Mixed yesterday and baked this morning. I used a 10 inch bowl lined with a towel as my makeshift banneton. Then used an 11 1/2” diameter metal bowl as my steam cover, which was barely big enough. The loaf expanded right to the edges, making the sides a bit square and the bowl a little hard to remove. Baked covered at 450 for 20 min, uncovered at 450 for 25 min and 425 for 35 min. Will add crumb shots later. This was a challenging and fun bake!