AtW has the right idea

[Lucifer Box]

Thanks! I am actually! Just making some bread this afternoon - quick 10 min coffee break earlier - flour, yeast, salt, water and olive oil - into a baguette shape for now - nice french bread for tonight with the homemade butternut squash soup! Mmmmmm! Brownie points awarded by Mrs hyperD hopefully so I can get a few cheeky online games of Unreal Tournament with some mates this weekend!

How did the French bread turn out, hyperD? Do you have any fancy oven techniques to get that authentic French crust?

Tonight it was homemade cream of courgette soup (which Mrs Lucifer wasn't too fond of) accompanied by spelt bread - spelt flour, yeast, sea salt, water, honey and olive oil. Followed by baked trout with capers (which Mrs Lucifer wasn't too fond of either). Never mind, I enjoyed them all thoroughly and until she became Mrs Lucifer she was a lifelong TV dinner eater, so I'm working on it.

LB's bread making tip for today: save the water after you have boiled potatoes and use it when making white bread. Makes the bread wonderfully light.

[hyperD]

I'm coming over to yours I think - food sounds great!

No great secrets on the French bread - nice and light. Using a starter dough mix gives a crustier outside but I cheated and just used the basics and let it rise for a few hours. Like you - hot oven, none of that spraying although oil on the outside of the bread (especially focaccia) makes it crunchy.

Leaving it in the oven and accidently forgetting about it for half an hour gives rise to a brown, rock hard crust that can defeat most dentures! Doh! (or should that be Dough!?!)

Like the potato water tip.

[Lucifer Box]

As long as you bring some of the butternut squash soup, you're in. Maybe we should have a CUK dinner party?

Try getting hold of the last jerusalem artichokes of the season - they make sublime cream soup.

I've never tried using a starter dough, that sounds like a great idea. In fact, I may go the whole hog and try some sourdough bread soon.

I made some foccacia bread this evening (in fact it's rising now). Lots of lovely fresh rosemary from the garden and will be brushing it liberally with rosemary infused olive oil shortly and a good sprinkle of sea salt.