David's San Joaquin Sourdough Baguettes

David, thank you so very much for sharing the recipe and the attention to details, so the average baker might stand a chance of a good outcome.  So often, and I'm as guilty as the next guy, a well-intentioned recipe fails the newbie because some key ingredient or step is inadvertently left out.

I think in this case, I rushed the loaves into the oven, when they should have remained out for another 30min or so.  Excessive oven spring pushed the 1/2" scores flush with the exterior.  But, the taste was absolutely amazing, and I will endorse it for anyone considering any other recipe.  In fact, we are having some remodeling done, and the contractor and helper were here when the first batch of three loaves came out, so after 3omins of cooling I gave them each a small piece with butter. 

Don't ya find that of all the possible rave reviews, silence tops the list.  They were both yakking away, and kind of casually accepted the morsel.  But both of them stopped talking after the first bite, and just stared at what remained in their grasp.  Of course, they both left with a loaf.

So, thank you again for sharing such a wonderful recipe.

Steve

p.s. - I know at the time you posted the recipe in 2013 you had an oven with steam option.  Well, I don't, so I simply use foil baking pans with lids to capture the steam leaving the dough, place the pan on my stone, and after 10mins remove them from the pan and finish on the stone.  I really think new bakers fail at baguettes because they can't capture an adequate supply of steam to produce that elusive crust.