sourdough ear

Best Bread Scoring Tools: Lames, Knives, and the Gear That Finally Gave Me a Proper Ear

· June 7, 2026
Best Bread Scoring Tools: Lames, Knives, and the Gear That Finally Gave Me a Proper Ear

“Why does your bread look like it exploded instead of split open?” My husband asked, nodding at the loaf I’d just pulled from the oven—one I’d babied through a two-day cold proof, then ruined in the space of a single dull swipe with a paring knife that dragged and caught instead of gliding through the … Read more

Why Your Sourdough Ear Won’t Open: A Scoring and Steam Diagnosis for Frustrated Bakers

· February 19, 2026
Why Your Sourdough Ear Won't Open: A Scoring and Steam Diagnosis for Frustrated Bakers

Pull up the photo on my phone right now and you’ll see the evidence yourself: a smooth, rounded dome split down one side, like the dough simply gave up instead of opening. Zero ear. Not even a whisper of one. That single picture is proof of what happens when scoring and steam both go wrong … Read more