Did you know that, because of the mass effect...

...at work during fermentation, a 2 kilo (4-lb) "miche" (country bread) comes out more flavorful than a 2-lb one? "The chemical reactions happen faster in larger masses of dough, creating a better environment for microorganism activity", says Michel Suas in Advanced Bread and Pastry: A Professional Approach. A 4- or 6-lb miche seems huge but when you stop and think about it, it may not be too big if you share it with family, friends, neighbours and co-workers... Thanks to a generous donation from Trader Joe's (decidedly one of my favorite chainstores), it is now possible to buy three different sizes of miche-proofing baskets at an excellent price from the San Francisco Baking Institute while helping economically challenged baking students pay for their training (and it's tax-deductible). For more info, click here and act while the supply lasts. In the interest of full disclosure, I hasten to say that I am an employee neither of Trader Joe's nor of SFBI and that I derive no benefit whatsoever -financial or other- from the sale of these baskets. I just think they represent a good deal and a great opportunity for a good deed...not to mention the fact that promoting baking education is another way of advancing the cause of artisan bread.