Lame (kitchen tool)

Lame is a kitchen tool used in baking, specifically in the making of bread. It is a blade used to slash the tops of bread loaves in artisan baking, a technique known as scoring.

History

The use of the lame in baking dates back to ancient times, when bakers needed a way to control the direction in which their bread would expand during baking. The word "lame" comes from the French word for "blade".

Design and Use

A typical lame consists of a handle, often made of wood or plastic, and a thin, sharp blade, usually a razor blade. The blade is used to make shallow cuts in the surface of the unbaked bread. These cuts allow the bread to expand during baking without tearing the crust. The pattern of the cuts can also create a decorative pattern on the finished loaf.

Scoring with a lame allows the baker to control the direction in which the bread will expand during baking. This is particularly important for breads with a high moisture content, such as baguettes and other types of artisan breads. The cuts made by the lame also allow steam to escape from the bread during baking, which can improve the texture of the bread's crust.

Variations

There are many variations of the lame. Some have a straight blade, while others have a curved blade. Some lames have a replaceable blade, while others have a fixed blade. The type of lame used can depend on the type of bread being baked and the personal preference of the baker.

See Also

• Bread
• Baking
• Kitchen tool
• Artisan bread

References

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  A lame used for slashing bread dough

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  Freshly baked sourdough bread

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  Sourdough bread cut with a lame, after baking

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  French-style artisan country bread

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  Scored loaves of rye bread