Humans have long had a love affair with bread, and when you experience the smell of the baguette baking in your oven, you will fall in love all over again!

In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, yeast and salt. Stir in 2 cups of warm water and beat until well blended using an electric mixer with a dough hook attachment. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.

On a lightly floured surface, knead in enough flour to make stiff dough that is smooth and elastic. Knead for about 8 to 10 minutes total. Shape into a ball. Place dough in a greased bowl, and turn once. Cover, and let it rise in a warm place until doubled.

Punch the dough down and divide in half. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Roll each half into a large rectangle. Roll up, starting from the long side. Moisten edges with water and seal. Taper the ends.

Grease a large baking sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal. Place the loaves, seam side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Lightly beat the egg white with 1 tablespoon of water and brush on. Cover with a damp cloth. Let rise until it has nearly doubled, around 35 to 40 minutes.

With a very sharp knife, make 3 or 4 diagonal cuts about ¼ inch deep across the top of each loaf. Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 20 minutes. Brush again with egg white mixture. Bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until the bread tastes done. If necessary, cover loosely with foil to prevent over browning. Remove from the baking sheet and cool on a wire rack.

After the dough has risen once, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. The recipe we use calls for the dough to be separated into 3 equal pieces. Other recipes may yield more or less dough, and recommend portioning the dough differently. Be sure to consult the recipe you are using before portioning the dough. Use a dough cutter to portion the dough. Properly portioned dough will ensure that the baguettes bake in a consistent amount of time.

A baguette needs to be rolled tight so that it will rise well. Flatten the portioned dough with the palm of your hand to force out any excess gas. Roll the dough up and away from you, tucking it in with your fingers as you roll. You should feel the outside of the dough stretch, but not tear, as you roll.

A seam will be formed when the dough piece is completely rolled up. Unless the seam is sealed, the dough can unroll as it rises and bakes. Seal the seam by pinching both sides together tightly. If the dough doesn't seal, moisten the seam slightly with water and pinch the sides together again.

Begin stretching the dough by placing your hands on either side of the loaf's center. While applying gentle downward and outward pressure, roll the dough back and forth on the work surface. The loaf should lengthen and you should feel the dough stretch, but not tear.

Now we have our 3 rolled loaves. Don't worry if your baguettes are a little misshapen; it takes a lot of practice to make perfect baguettes.

Place the dough on trays that have been sprinkled with cornmeal. Place the dough in a warm area to rise for 30 to 45 minutes.

Once the dough has risen it will nearly double in size. If mishandled, the dough may fall and you will have a tough, flat baguette.

Bake at 480°F for at least 20 minutes. A trick to making good baguettes is to steam the oven at the beginning of the bake. Spraying water on the surface of the loaves before you put them in the oven is one way to create steam. Placing a baking tray full of ice cubes or water on the bottom of the oven will also cause a steaming effect. When the loaves are done they should be golden brown and their bottoms should sound hollow when tapped.

Allow a minimum of 1 hour for the baguette to cool before eating.