Sourdough - what do you think of when you hear that word? For me as an avid home cook and baker, the idea of having a tiny bread organism that you had to keep alive, feed daily and spend 48-hrs to make a loaf of bread was not one that appealed to me. Of course, I knew the health benefits of baking with it (fermented foods are good for the gut, lower glycemic index, easier to digest, etc.) and while it had always interested me, still, I was not quite sold.
It wasn’t until staying at a friend’s house, where she had three different sourdough starters all going at once, that I was convinced I could do it too! Upon returning home I ordered my starter kit (Breadtopia offers a wonderful starter kit with everything you need included) and got down to business. Upon its arrival, you follow daily instructions for about a week to get the dried starter alive and active, after that you are ready to bake!
I will let you in on a little secret, I don’t feed mine daily, yes, yes, I break the golden sourdough rule each week and store mine in the fridge. After deciding what I will be making, I take mine out of the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature, feed it (equal parts flour and water are a good starting point), allow it to reach peak, and bake. It really is that simple! Once I’m done, I store it back in the fridge until I am ready to use it again, and despite what some might say, my starter has never once gone on strike or spontaneously exploded in its jar.
I’ve really enjoyed getting to learn a new level of baking, obviously, I am no master at this, but I have a blast trying to create artisan loaves. I hope you will give it a try too; fresh baked bread is always better than store bought and so rewarding when you pop it out of the oven. I have linked below a few of my favorite sites to gather recipes; remember, your loaf doesn’t have to look perfect to taste good. If your loaf of bread doesn’t turn out the first time you can always turn it into croutons, and no one will be the wiser!
Some of my favorite recipes to make are sourdough english muffins, bagels, biscuits, baguettes, cinnamon rolls, and tortillas.
Links and Resources:
About Me:
Kelsie Allen resides in southeast Idaho with her husband, Matthew, and their three dogs. In 2023 she became a volunteer with FireKeepers International. Kelsie has a passion for animals, the outdoors and Creator. Her hobbies include archery, baking, hiking, horseback riding, reading, and kayaking.
The hardest part of sourdough to me is getting the right temperature for the dough to rise properly. Using the oven light helps. I am still getting my knack for bread but using discard is easy. Here’s a cornbread recipe I like:
https://thegingeredwhisk.com/sourdough-cornbread/