Bread baking recipes often call for spritzing your bread with water to help get a crackly crust. Sometimes they will also caution you against accidentally spritzing the oven light bulb which can cause it to explode. I always assumed that was about the extent of the potential hazards… until I received the following email from Jean, a baking buddy from Minnesota.
Jean has a knack for putting a humorous spin on things, so I thought I’d just copy and paste her email here exactly as I received it.
I’d like to recognize Jean’s husband for his exemplary response to the situation.
By the way, "SPBC" is the St. Paul Bread Club. And if any one has first hand experience with a ‘Big Green Egg’, please find the "comment" link below and tell us what you know.
"Hi Eric,
I’m not sure whether I told you about the $400 loaf of bread that I made; I sort of spritzed the tempered glass in the oven door along with the bread.
Another surprise was that my husband never once complained about the replacement cost of the glass–that’s how much he likes my bread I’ve been making!
So I’m back in business now and may enter the SPBC annual bread baking contest this Saturday with the walnut-cranberry and whole wheat breads (will give you credit). Who knows? Maybe a blue ribbon from the Minnesota State Fair will follow 
However I’m still experimenting with different types of flour, including AP vs. bread, and getting a range of results. I read your newest questions/comments - they’re always instructive and fun to read.
Still on a quest for an outdoor bread oven, we looked at a ‘Big Green Egg’ grill as a possibility. Know anyone who’s using these? The blue ceramic tile ones are sure pretty. Some have charcoal, gas and electric options and can handle heat up to 750 without the exterior getting too hot.
Hope you’re enjoying spring."
Jean
April 30 Update - Click here for results of St. Paul Bread Club contest results.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I have made the no Knead Bread every week for the past 10 weeks in a variety of methods - original, sourdough, with varying amounts of whole wheat.
Problem: I get hard crusty bits on the top of the dough as it rises. I never used to have this with regular bread. I also have crusty bits on the sides of my sourdough container - do I scrape them off?
Hi Margot,
I’m scratching my head and I can’t figure out what the crusty bits on top of the dough could be.
As for the crusty bits in your sourdough container, that I’m all too familiar with. It’s inevitable that the jar is going to get cruddy with dried, rock hard starter stuck to the sides after a while of regular use. The only decent solution I’ve come up with is I keep a spare storage container and transfer the starter to the clean one as needed. Then I completely submerge the old one in hot soapy water for several hours. Then it’s not so difficult to get it clean.
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