Hi Iris, part 3 goes into detail about various baking options, including baking in a Dutch oven with a cold start, in a preheated oven, or a preheated pot. If your Dutch oven is suitable for preheating empty (check the manufacturer's recommendations) then preheating your empty pot is a great option, but a cold start or baking in a preheated oven can yield excellent results as well. If your pot is entirely cast iron (not enameled), I would recommend preheating it empty for a full hour before baking. You can lower the loaf into the pot with a parchment sling, scoring the loaf before or after you lower it into the pot--whichever you find easier. There's no need to allow the loaf to come to room temperature before baking when using an entirely cast iron pot, as this type of pot is not subject to thermal shock. Remove the lid after 20 minutes of baking and continue baking in a dry oven for approximately 20-25 minutes. Barb

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