Poilane-style miche

Well, here is the long awaited miche from Peter Reinhart's BBA. I think it turned out really good. I was actually very surprised because rarely do my breads look like the breads in cookbooks, but this one actually does.

BTW, has anyone ever tried to put a fully risen loaf this large onto a peel? I was scared that the thing would turn into a pancake, but I just said a little prayer and flopped it on there. It did lose a little bit of its gas, but the oven spring brought it back nicely.

I don't have much time to blog (as most of you do, I also have a real life, job and family), but I just had to get these pics up before I head off to work. I can't wait to try the bread tomorrow...

It smells like nothing I have ever baked before. You can smell the sourdough, wheat and the sweet smell of the crust all mixed into one. My house smells like a French bakery...I think...I don't really know that smell yet...maybe someday.