Thanks everyone, I can tell you that the KK makes it a whole lot easier. The baking stone is wonderful although today I used the SS drip pan as a shield and a ceramic baker. Wasn't sure if it would crack since I put it in cold but it didn't at least not this time.
I had to get my strength up for bread baking-
and while the bread is rising I needed a nice place to sit and enjoy my new blue tooth speaker and a glass of kombucha. I love listening to internet radio and Classic FM from London is my favourite.
You can see that I've started closing things in for winter and will close in the top part above my chair too.
My sour dough bread is ready for the 500F KK.
About 20 mins. later and the bread is baked.
and out of the pan.
The bread is cool enough to be cut so I can show the crumb.
Tony, I've been thinking about the crust problem you mentioned, did you use an IR thermometer to see if the centre of the stone was up to temp.? Maybe it wasn't and the edge would have picked up heat from air flow. Just a thought;)
tinyfish, I thought I was just going to do a quick post to respond to skreef's post and didn't intend to horn in on your squash soup post I guess I got caught up on the Thanksgiving thought.
I really think it is these cheeses that made all the difference.
BTW, I forgot to mention that I also sprinkled the mac and cheese with some cayenne pepper, mixed it in during the final put together stages.