Sourdough Glossary

As I speak French pretty natively (having resided there during the 1970s, returned to the United States in mid-1980), I tend to use it in bread making especially since everyone else seems to do so too. Here are the terms English-speaking bread bakers seem to want to use out of failure to create their own, for disambiguation or clarity, or for snob appeal.

French English Notes
all-purpose flour all-purpose flour containing less proteins that make gluten
autolyse autolysis, autolyse pre-humidification of recipe flour with recipe water sans yeast
banneton bread mold or proofing basket for shaping boules or bâtards before finish-baking; made from cane or rattan
baguette breadstick long, thin loaf convenient for serving, tearing and sandwich-making
bâtard bastard child short, elongated loaf (as opposed to boule or baguette)
biga biga a very dry poolish, prefermented
boulangerie bakery where bread is baked and sold commercially
boule round loaf crude or countryside loaf shape
croûte crust what adults prefer
lame blade razor-sharp blade used in scoring the pâton
mie, miche crumb what children like
levain levain, yeast what makes the gas that gets caught in the gluten strands
patisserie pastry shop where pastries are made and sold commercially
pâton dough the loaf prior to baking
pelle shovel, peel wooden shovel used to inforn and deforn loaves from the oven
pouliche poolish the bread dough mixed and left to autolyse and ferment for 12-18 hours
strong flour high-gluten flour containing more gliadin and glutenin, the proteins that make gluten