Initial impressions: Upon unpacking the I was immediately impressed by the finish on the unit. The exterior of the cover and the upper surface of the plate has an extremely smooth semi-gloss finish on it. Mine is a beautiful black and I'm sure the red is equally attractive. The finish feels like a quality finish. It is smooth but not slippery.
First use: I chose to use a recipe I was familiar with instead of one of the nice selection of recipes that came with the cloche. The recipe was intended to make two loaves so I baked one in the cloche and one in the open oven per the directions.
I shared both loaves with our dinner guests and asked their opinion on the differences telling them only that I used two different baking methods. The loaf from the cloche won hands down. My guests felt the loaf had a more pleasing crust, a nicer texture, and better flavor.
Clean up was easy though I do have questions for the manufacture regarding care of the unit. The inside of the cover is not sealed and I wonder about getting it wet or getting soap on it.
The plate is grooved and I found, per the instructions that came with the cloche, that a light coating of flour was sufficient to eliminate sticking. I was able to wipe off the bulk of the flour with a dry paper towel and removed the remainder with a damp rag.
With a 10 year manufacturers warranty I can look forward to may years of amazing bread. The homemade bread I used to make and love just got way better.
