Great post; the visuals and explanations are outstanding!! Thank you so very much! It seems I've been baking bread forever (I'm 60) and relying on my instinct (instilled, as a child, at the side of my late Amish grandmother who baked every day) for "look," "feel" and, on occasion, "smell" for wonderful yeast breads. While others' loaves are falling & sinking around me, people tell me my breads are "died and gone to heaven" good (and good looking, too!). I've found, living at 5,000' elevation in the (dry) High Desert surrounding Reno, NV, a few "basic" adjustments to any yeast bread recipe are needed (in my kitchen, anyway): 1) a little more flour & liquid 2), a little less sweetener, 3) leave the amount of yeast unchanged, 4) two rises in the bowl ( I LOVE punching it down!) and, 5) one rise in the pan (but only just barely level with the top of the pan; just barely under is usually better) combined with my "Grandma Instinct" produces consistently gorgeous, and delicious, loaves; every time; doesn't matter if I use all purpose flour, bread flour or 100% whole grain. My little secret(s); well... not anymore, I guess. :) Thank you so much, again! I'm feeling inspired; I think I feel a pan of cinnamon rolls coming on....

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