The towel

The final rise in the towel seems to be the most problematic according to other blog comments I've read. The solution is pretty much the one given by Jim Lahey in the NYT video. Cover the towel with wheat bran, which means the final bread will have wheat bran in its crust. The same is true of those who use cornmeal or any other barrier-type product to avoid sticking.

My preference is to avoid adding anything to the crust. No seeds, no bran, nothing that is difficult to digest, for personal health reasons. Similarly I am avoiding whole wheat flour in the bread for now.

I'll post again if I find out why the towel is recommended. I can follow directions (well sort of) but I have no understanding of the science of bread making so I am baking mindlessly, adhering to the recipe instructions robotically.