Whoops-just looked at the subject line after I posted and realized what I typed was real confusing because I didn't proof read it after changing the wording. Wish I could fix that, but I was trying to figure out what to call this thing...a loaf pan or a covered clay baker or la cloche? Now that I have everyone confused and I've gotten your attention, does anyone else use one? :-)
Robin

Pretty nice looking clay loaf pan and bread!

No, I don't use one but I might have to add one to the ever growing mound of bakeware I own. :)

I have one of those and like it. Unfortunately I dropped the top part and it broke into about 19 pieces :-(

The only bright note on that is many times I had a really great rise and the dough stuck to the top anyway...so I still use it...just the bottom part. It works well. I think the instructions call for soaking it in water before use. I think you will love using it. It makes great bread!

Duane

Your bread looks wonderful! I love mine. I have a round one as well as the oblong one. -Grainlady

barnmom-I know what you mean about that "ever growing mound". Right now I don't have a place to store this new addition. Guess I better just keep it in use then...
Duane-that's a shame you dropped the lid. I could see me doing the same thing tho.
Thanks grainlady! I might end up getting another loaf shaped one so I can bake two at once. I bake my round loaves in my dutch oven or on a stone. Perhaps the dutch oven and this loaf pan will fit in my oven together.

I made no knead bread at my daughter's house last week and used the oblong insert from her large slow cooker (in the oven, not in the slow cooker). It was a better size and shape than any of the covered casseroles I have been using at home.

Hmm... I wonder if my SS fish poacher would work for a long narrow loaf...

Jim

I haven't used one but now I want one!! Where did you get it?

Jim-I don't know what a SS fish poacher looks like but if it's oven proof, give it a go! Please post a photo of it and the end result.
trsinc-Sorry to be an enabler! I ordered it and an instant read thermometer from breadtopia.com. Quick service and I LOVE the thermometer. The probe barely leaves a hole in the bread.

Jim, I'd try it in a heartbeat! Put your loaf on parchment paper to rise, then lift up the paper on the sides to put the bread, paper and all in the fish poacher.

Teresa

Sowngrow, I agree that's a nice looking loaf of bread you made. I'd be pleased with it, but you say it doesn't suit you for sandwiches. Is that because of the low profile? You might want to try making one or two lengthwise shallow cuts in the loaf, just before it goes into the oven. Use a razor blade or a very sharp serrated knife. Cut about 1/3" deep. You'll get a better oven spring that way. Good luck! Robert

Sorry Robert, I meant to say that before I bought this loaf pan I was ending up with loaves that weren't suitable for sandwiches so I needed a nice loaf pan and ordered this one. For some reason I wasn't real clear yesterday when posting. Do the shallow cuts allow the bread to rise higher? I like the look of the cuts in the crust on freshly baked bread. I haven't found a knife of mine that will slice the dough nicely when I've tried doing that. I'll have to try using my serrated bread knife like you suggested. Thanks.
Robin

Sowngrow,
Finally got around to trying the fish poacher for baking bread. Here's the pic you requested of the stainless steel poacher and the result. i was satisfied with how it worked.

Teresa,
Well, it took a bit longer than a heartbeat but here it is. The fish poacher has a lifter, which makes it easy to handle the unbaked loaf. Even so, I followed your suggestion and put a piece of parchment paper on the lifter because the lifter has some holes in it. The bottom of the loaf didn't get brown and crisp like the rest of the loaf. I'm not sure that was because of the parchment or some other factor. I will experiment with it. Anyway, I discovered that I already own a pretty good utensil for baking bread.

Jim

Great-that looks really good! You win the prize for the most innovative bread baking vessel Jim-I love it!
Robin

I have a fish poacher like that....hmmmm

Sowngrow - I found using a pristine pair of kitchen shears provides the best "slash" for bread tops. I have 1 pair that is kept super clean just for food and a few snips across the loaf work well without the squish.

Alexa

I have used my romertopf a few times to make french bread and it was wonderful! I need to do that again, especially since I have three of them now. :)

I've been using a single edge razor blade for making the slashes on the dough. Works fine.

Jim, what about using some quarry tile on the poacher lifter? I think you need heated thermal mass to get a good crust on the bottom. Least ways, I know that I get a great bottom crust when I use parchment on a baking stone.

Alexa-I've got a new pair of kitchen shears I could try. thanks for the idea.
party music 50-My I used my romertopf once. It's too big and I ended up with a blob loaf.
ci lantro-I've been meaning to get some single edge razor blades to try. Since I have the shears I'll give that a try first.
I get a good bottom crust using parchment on a stone also. You just need to remove the parchment when you pull the bread out so that it doesn't hold in moisture as the bread cools. At least that's what I've found.
Robin

robin, that's a very pretty pan, but like others, I have no more storage space, so I'll have to make do. I also have one of those "growing mounds" of baking pans! I do love rye bread, that looks delicious.

Jim, that's a lovely loaf of bread too, and I agree, you win the prize for the most innovative use of kitchen equipment! Nice picture too.

Annie

ci lantro,
You are on the right track regarding the bottom crust. However, the advantage of using the lifter is in having the last rise happen on the lifter so you don't have to pick up the loaf and put in in the poacher by hand. So, the lifter doesn't get preheated and neither would the tiles. I'm thinking of some alternatives to try. Maybe put tiles in the bottom of the poacher, under the lifter, if they fit. Maybe setting the poacher on tiles on the oven rack. Maybe just eliminating the parchment.

This was the NY Times (really Jim Leahy's) no knead method BTW, and everything is supposed to be blazing hot when the bread goes into the oven.

Sowngrow,
You are right. After the bread was out of the oven for a few I noticed the parchment was damp. I then removed the parchment and placed the loaf crosswise on the pan to allow the bottom crust to ventilate. It would have been better if don sooner, but it helped. I still need to get the bottom more brown.

Jim

I found these little knives -- four to a package -- at Dollar General a couple years ago. They have bright colored plastic handles and are about four inches long. I think they are meant for picnics. I bought them from DH's lunch box so he wouldn't keep losing my good knives. Anyway, the little buggers are pretty sharp, enough so that they make great dough slashers. I think I paid $1.29 for the package.