Chasing thin, crispy, not thick/tough dough

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Jim Burgin on

For a year, I have been the route with the best books, internet sites, conversations with authorities (King Arthur); have altered everything you can name (hydration, baking temperature, Pizza store and Lodge pot, spraying and not, baking time, etc. etc. etc.  AND, STILL produce thick, chewy (trip to the dentist) crust!  After trying all the best books/methods, I am now finally going simple (Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day).  Does anyone know what REALLY works for thin, crispy crust???  Thanks much.  Jim Burgin 

Tartine baguette is the only tartine recipe I’ve made but I think you will be pleased - thin yet crispy crust was perfect. 

Through the kindness of a skilled member here I was referred to this thread and a few others - to add to the mountains of others in my "to be read" folder.  The expertise and artistry on this site is, without hyperbole, utterly unparalleled.  It's going to come off as arrogance or hubris (my words can sometimes do more harm than good) but the more I learn here, returning yet again after a longish absence, the more I both realize how little I know, and how much hunger is lit up in me to pursue this simple food to its highest potential.  

I used to obsess over stocks and sauces and diligent allegiance to centuries of French cooking.  Since childhood.  And I am truly blown away to see that in this one site, so many have created such brilliance with such simple ingredients.

This will take some doing to understand, but lord knows I've nothing better to do.  Just one person pursuing an honest loaf deeply grateful to you for your contributions.

-and mariana, yes, you are a goddess.  It may be that Aphrodite just got bumped from primacy in my reverence.

doctoral thesis on "internet communities" somehow came across TFL.  After asking permission from Floyd and Dan, she focused mainly on last summer's baguette CB, which itself lasted three months with full activity (breaking all other CB "records" for duration and comments).

Having observed the interaction over the course of approximately 3 months.  She began her paper by writing -

"Contrary to cyberpessimist claims that virtual communities are not real communities, I argue that TFL was a dynamic and uniquely welcoming, supportive and generous online community. Within this community, TFLers honed their bread-baking skills in relationship both with the other members of the website and with their starters, living things that TFLers cultivated and nurtured. These relationships, in turn, facilitated the formation of wider human social relationships as TFLers shared their breads and starters with friends, neighbours and strangers."

Pretty cool, huh!

 

That is extremely cool, Alfanso.  I think she is spot on and said it so eloquently.  I have been an inconstant resident here, tending to follow the peripatetic wanderings of my crazy life, but each time I come back - I'd say now, most especially - I'm so blown away by the depth and breadth of seriously top-shelf knowledge, and the generosity of members like you so willing to share it.  This place is special.

Do you happen to know if her thesis is available to view? (I've read some from the cheese community, so don't actually know if it's common or not).