couche

[dmun]

I don't know about couches, but I've been using the same pastry cloth since I was a teenager, and pie crust is 1/4 grease. I just give it a scrape and a shake when it gets too crusty.

[CanuckJim]

George,

Yes, I occasionally wash it, but only in warm water and only in the dryer for about ten minutes to fluff. Usually, I just shake it outside. I only wash it if it begins to smell at all off; rather not, but there you are if the flour goes rancid. The fabric is called baker's linen: thick, heavy, large weave but dense. The selvages were fine, but Wendy hemmed the ends for me to prevent unravelling. Don't know about KA; got mine from TMB Baking in San Fran.

Jim

[Kulas]

Thanks Jim, Dutch.

I'm searching the TM website now.

I failed to take pics the first time I used the couche. The problem was not actually the couche. I'd put flour onto the peel from the couche, and put the baguette. When I slide it in the oven sideways it sticks! The peel does not seem to take some flour, they just slide off. I ended up with baguettes that were c shaped, some were L shaped. That was the first time though, so I guess it may also be due to my lack of practice. The peel has a very fine grained wood. i'm not sure what wood it is. can this also be part of the problem?

I eat sandwich now! thanks everybody.

[gjbingham]

Thanks David and Jim. Much as I figured. I didn't think it would stand up to the washer with ragged sides, but it looked too funky to use. When I took it out of the dryer, it looked like a ball of yarn - all tangles. Scissors fixed the immediate problem, but I think I shortened its half-life.