Nice place for baskets

JIP on 14 Dec 2007 at 18:22

We have a store here in Pittsburgh where they sell fair-trade products from around the world.  I was in there the other day and found great baskets that can be used for bannetons and are alot cheaper than ones that are made specifically for that.  The beast part is that the people that make them get a fair price for their goods rather than sweatshop wages that other places might give them.  I cannot vouch for wether or not you actually can use them for baking because I am a little laid up right now but I got one of the Kaisa baskets for $8.00 mine was 12" the one listed on the site is 19" I think and it is $12 but that is still a great deal.

 

Here is a pic

 

JIP - what a great idea!  We have a Ten Thousand Villages store near here and I think I'll head over there tomorrow.  I tried proofing my bread in a napkin lined round straw basket and in a lined round casserole dish.  Both worked fine - at least fine enough for me, but I really like the look of the one you have.  I'm a beginner at this, so I really like hearing about products that are reasonably priced, just in case my new obsession with bread-making fades away when spring comes.....
Well these baskets look exactly like some of the bannetons I have seen in cookbooks.  Granted they are not hard wood but they will I am sure be excellent for proofing.  I think the best part is who benefits from the purchase. 

I was just looking at these baskets and I was wondering if these are suitable for proofing?  They are made out of grass from what I read... I wonder if they would stand up to the duty of bread.  Most of the rounded bread proofing baskets are made from wood or bamboo.

 

~TableBread

http://tablebread.blogspot.com

use one as a banneton, lined with a linen towel and dusted with flour. I would not use it as a brotform though, which is what you are describing.
Thanks, that's exactly what I was going to use it for.  I think I will still make a trip to World Market though, I mean, it should be ok as long as it doesn't have a laquer coating right?
been off line for a bit..it's OK to use it even with a laquer coating as long as you don't put the dough in direct contact with the basket, i.e. line it with a linen like cloth and dust with flour. For direct contact (brotform) should be coiled willow or an untreated, thicker coiled (someone made one with plastic tubing) basket.