Instructions: Re: proofing bread in the microwave:another great way is to use the dishwasher! Run the empty (soapless) dishwasher on the rinse cycle. Open the door briefly to release the really hot steam. Place the plastic covered dough in the top or bottom - wherever it fits best. You should do this for the final rise only since its really too fast to develop a first rise enough to have good flavor and texture.

I was teaching in California where a student shared the fact that she sometimes rises bread on the dash board of her closed car parked in the sun.

I tried it and it worked fine- except its important to keep a careful eye on it - remember what those video tapes look like after theyve spent too much time on the cars dashboard.

My son works on a landscaping crew where some of the men put their lunches (not sandwiches...) on the trucks manifold to heat up - which reminds me of the cookbook Manifold Destiny which features a poached salmon thats done in the dishwasher. OK enough rambling - back to work... [Blanche007@aol.com]

My favorite method is to turn on the light in the oven, and place a teakettle full of just-boiled water in with the dough. This warms the oven to just the right temp, and perhaps adds a bit of humidity, too! Of course, I always cover to dough, so the humidity might not make that much difference. [Paul and Ruth Provance (prmtprovance@erols.com)]

OK One more way to raise bread. Find, collect or buy one of the foam mailing boxes (the kind approved for shipment with dry ice) big enough for one or two loaf pans. Put about 2-3 qts. of hot water in bottom before placing the rising bread and pans in. Cover and let rise. I find the thick-walled boxes hold the heat and are tighter than most picnic coolers. Smaller footprint and not so tall. Also good for bringing refrigerated dough in plastic bag back up to temp. When the slow-cool-rise of sourdough is just proceeding too slowly I find I can finish most rises in about 45 min this way. [Bill Bowers (wbowers@Ag.Arizona.Edu)]

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