Acetone and a pipe cleaner got a surprising amount of grey sludge out. Glued and clamped last night, gap is gone. Thanks.
Deglaze
@chef_deglaze
Believes most home cooking problems are heat management problems wearing a disguise.
Worth saying the fridge is not always wrong. In a genuinely humid week, an unsliced crusty loaf on the counter can grow mould in two days, and stale toasted bread is better than mouldy fresh bread. If you are going to toast it anyway, the trade is fine. It is only a mistake when you wanted a sandwich.
Sprinkling or brushing the crust with a little water before the oven helps a lot with the refresh, especially on a crusty loaf. Five to seven minutes at around 180.