Hi Jennifer,

It's not only big artisanal loaves that need steam. A humid start is essential for New Orleans-style French bread, which is light and airy inside and wrapped in a crust so fine you'd think it was made of potato chips!

When I got interested baking this bread, several years ago, I began with KAB's recipe, which I'll say, with no offense intended, produces something much more dense and bready and than a typical NOLA loaf.

Extensive research suggested that there's just no authoritative recipe, anywhere, and those who make the bread in New Orleans (Leidenheimer, Gendusa, etc.) weren't about to tell me how it's done (I asked), so I was left to figure out the process, with EXTENSIVE help from Clara and other members of the KAB Baker's Hotline.

Twenty-nine bakes later, I/we nailed it.

Along the way, I discovered that my home oven vents so efficiently that introducing it via spray gun, wet towels, lava rocks etc. was futile.

I needed an enclosure, but at 16", the Italian loaf pan I was baking on was too long for any of the usual ones.

I was stumped, until I saw video of a Cajun dude baking bread in a turkey roaster (still not long enough) and realized that I could buy disposable aluminum pans 19.5 x 11.5 inches - plenty of room for my baking pan and a small, soaked bit of rag, just for lagniappe.

The pans were sold in pairs. One wasn't tall enough, so I flipped the second on top of the first and fastened the set together with bulldog clips.

(NOTE: there are shorter versions, same height, suitable for baking hoagie, Kaiser or other hearty rolls in a countertop oven)

This works. It's ugly, but it's easier to use - lighter and less awkward - than a covered baker, cloche or Dutch oven. Those things have their places, but for steaming long loaves and rolls, I'm sold on disposable aluminum roasting pans.

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