Hi Jonathan, thanks so much for your kind words! As for your burned bottom, I would recommend preheating your oven and pot to 475°F rather than 500°F and see if that improves the situation. It's also okay to remove the bread from the oven when it's not quite as richly browned as pictured here. A little lighter on top may prevent burning on the bottom. Another option might be to try one of our silicone Round Loaf Lifter, which is oven safe to 500°F and may also make transferring your loaf into and out of the hot Dutch oven a little easier. 

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