How to get artisanal bubbles in bread? Ask a scientist--Their origin is the wild yeasts in sourdough that die off at different temperatures as the dough bakes. For non-sourdough bakers, you get them in regular kneaded dough by what my mother called improper shaping--not squeezing the dough well enough after rising. Leaving some gas bubbles as you shape the dough gives you this exact pattern of bubbles. Over-rising will NOT give you these holes as the bubbles burst faster and then fall flat. Under-kneaded dough gives you denser dough with smaller bubbles because there is not enough gluten to hold the gas in. Thanks, Irene - great advice for those of us on this "hole quest." Cheers - PJH

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