Thought scoring my loaves was pointless, then I tried it for 3 bakes and saw the crumb change
I always figured scoring was just for looks, so I never bothered beyond one quick slash down the middle. A baker friend in Tulsa kept telling me the angle and depth actually control how the loaf opens and rises, and I finally tried a real lame at 45 degrees, about half an inch deep. Bake one was a mess, the crust tore sideways and the ear flopped flat. By bake three I had a clean ear, the loaf sprang up taller, and the crumb had bigger holes instead of that tight gummy look. Same recipe, same starter, same oven at 475, so the only thing that changed was the cut. Anyone got tips on scoring wet high hydration dough without the blade dragging?