I'm more peeved about the open handles, I have to admit, though I appreciate knowing why the glass feels different. I had a Pyrex pot that cracked from too many rapid changes in temperature, but it was old and I don't know which kind of glass it was. It didn't explode, and I abused it. I read this which seems to have good info on why they changed. The only exploding Pyrex I personally know about is from when people microwave water in it then put a spoon in, or something like that, that happens because the water doesn't always bubble when it's boiling in a measuring cup. I know someone who did that. Snopes, the people who debunk urban legends, has a lot to say on the subject as well, and says that the glassware is made in the U.S. Which all I found out because I went looking for something I'd seen. Vermont Country Store, and others I'm sure, carry the rippled Anchor Hocking glass topped glass dishes that look like the ones from the '40's or '50's. Those lids just sit on top too, but the containers are cute.

FYI... 'Experts' indicate the ideal temperature range for a mixed dough is usually 76 to 80F. Peter Reinhart states in "Crust and Crumb" that "dough temperature increases about one degree per every minute of kneading or two degrees per minute if kneading in a medium-speed mixer. Jeffrey Hamelman ("BREAD" A Baker's Book of Techniques and Recipes): "For the most part, the temperature zone that works best, particularly for wheat-based breads, is 75° to 78°F." To complicate things even more, there is a whole set of calculations you can use to figure your dough temperature based on the type of mixing method you use (straight dough or pre-ferment), as well as ambient room temperature, flour temperature, etc... If you use a straight dough method and you want your dough to be 76°F you multiply 76 by 3; if there is a pre-ferment method used (which I suggest using for freshly-milled flour) multiply 76 by 4. Examples... Using the straight dough method: 76°F x 3 = 228° (Total temperature factor) Minus flour temperature - 72°F Minus room temperature - 68°F Minus friction factor - 26°F = Water temperature 62°F For the straight dough, water at 62°F gives us a final dough temperature of approximately 76°F. Pre-ferment: 78°F x 4 = 304°F Minus flour temperature - 72°F Minus room temperature - 68°F Minus pre-ferment temperature - 70°F Minus friction factor - 26°F = Water temperature - 68°F Friction Factor: For doughs that mix for 3 minutes on first speed and 3 or 4 minutes on second, the friction factor for most mixers is in the range of 24° to 28°F. "Factors that affect the amount of friction generated during mixing, such as the type of mixer being used (stand, spiral, oblique, or planetary), the length of mix time, the mixing speeds used, and the quantity of dough in the bowl." ------------------------------------------------------- If you work the dough too long and hard in the mixer, the gluten can begin to break apart, so check gluten development by doing a windowpane (or membrane) test. If the dough is stringy and stretchy and sticks to your hands, the dough is probably over-mixed and broken. This isn't the same thing as being too wet. If the dough tears, instead of having an elastic texture, the most common reason for this is under-mixing the dough. ----------------------------------------------------- Another possibility... There is a substance in wheat germ called Glutathione, which breaks down the gluten. By adding an acidic ingredient (ascorbic acid, lemon juice, vinegar) to whole wheat yeast breads, it will counteract the negative effects of Glutathione. I use 1/8 t. ascorbic acid per loaf for this purpose. Ascorbic acid (aka vitamin C) not only helps prevent the gluten bonds from breaking down; but it will help repair gluten bonds that have already been broken. Ascorbic acid also helps sustain the leavening of bread loaves during baking and promotes yeast growth so the yeast works longer and faster. -------------------------------------------------- When the top crust separates (shelling): -the dough was over-mixed -top dried out during rising (use plastic wrap instead of a towel) -oven temperature too low -too much yeast in the recipe -------------------------------------------------------- You may want to do a protein test on your wheat - it can be lower or higher in protein than what you are accustomed to using. I've found this true with Prairie Gold wheat, which I've used a lot of over the years. The local hard white winter wheat I purchase I also know the protein level (13.1%). This is the same wheat King Arthur Flour has milled into their Whole White Wheat Flour, so they have strict protein standards. I've worked with wheat that had 16% protein, and you have to do a LOT more kneading to develop that much protein. How to check protein level: Measure 2 cups plus 1-T. flour (measure by scooping a dry measuring cup into the flour, filling it, and slightly packing the flour as you level it off against the side of the flour container). Add it to a food processor with the steel knife. Add 1-cup of water. Process for about 30 seconds. If your flour is high protein (somewhere around 13-14%) it will absorb 1 cup of water producing a sticky dough ball when processed for 30-seconds in the workbowl of a food processor with the steel knife. If the dough ball looks somewhat "loose", then you may need to add vital wheat gluten to the flour to increase the protein, or reduce the mixing time and see if you get better results. Hope there is something there that helps you out... ~Grainlady

I bet this recipe will do very well in the refrigerator. I would spray a sheet of plastic wrap with vegetable spray and tuck it over the dough to help maintain the moisture in the dough. Another way to keep moisture in is to place the dough inside a 2-gallon zip-lock bag and press out as much air from the bag as possible before closing it. If you find the dough gets a little dry, add some mashed potatoes (or potato flakes) to the recipe, and I think you will be good to go. In "The Baking Book" the author and microbiologiest, Lloyd M. Moxon, who specializes in yeast biochemistry explains why. "Mashed potatoes - or any pureed vegetable - is vital for refrigerator doughs because it preserves moisture in the dry climate of the refrigerator." Adding mashed potatoes was quite common for refrigerator recipes - Betty Crocker's Refrigerator Bread Recipe is a classic, and it includes mashed potatoes. What happens to refrigerated dough... Retarding dough in the refrigerator has a few up-sides. The bacteria will produce some tasty acids so the flavor is enhanced. While the yeast is dormant and no longer consuming the sugars, the bacteria feeds on them and you'll get more complex flavors. Chilling the dough will probably result in a slightly more open texture. But on the down-side, it also may reduce the ovenspring and the loaf volume. There is "trick" I found in "CookWise" by Shirley O. Corriher, you can do if you find the loaf volume is smaller than normal and would like more volume. After chilling the dough, you can dissolve a little yeast (1/2 t.) in a few tablespoons of warm water and knead this into the dough before shaping. Another thing you may notice, the bread won't be as dark brown and the whole wheat flavor more mild. That's a characteristic from the long hydration time. Let us know how it goes.... -Grainlady

I've been using this recipe for years. DH does the pancake duty! lol Alaska's Treehouse Bed and Breakfast Seward, Alaska Specialty Recipe Treehouse Signature Sourdough Pancakes The Sourdough Starter: Our sourdough starter is over 90 years old and was handed down from an Alaskan pioneer woman to our good friends, who then shared it with us over twenty years ago. We frequently send a small amount off with guests so they can nurture their own sourdough pot and make these special pancakes... a traditional Alaskan pioneer breakfast. So the same starter now has traveled all over the States and beyond. Sourdough Starter: 1 Tablespoon dry yeast 2-1/2 cups warm water 2 teaspoons sugar or honey 2-1/2 cups flour Mix together ingredients and let ferment 5 days at room temperature, stirring daily. Then place in refrigerator. Starter should be used/replenished every seven to ten days. Sourdough Pancakes: 2-1/2 cups flour 2 cups warm water 1 cup sourdough starter 1/4 cup powdered skim milk 1 egg 2 Tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda The night before, mix flour with the warm water and add starter. Stir well and cover with a damp cloth. In the morning, take out 1 cup of starter and pour back into crock with original starter. Add powdered milk and egg to remaining batter, beating well. Combine sugar, salt, and baking soda; sprinkle evenly over batter, then fold in gently. Let batter rest a few minutes. Cook on a hot, oiled griddle. Serves: 4