Rise Up! Eventually…

So, I finally gave in and started a sourdough starter. This was a really popular thing to do during the Stay at Home order back in ’20. I did not make the attempt at that time, but I am attempting it now. Why? I’ll get to that later.

First: what is a sourdough starter? It is just a way to capture the wild yeast that lives in your home. Those wild yeast can then take the place of store-bought yeast in baked goods. Fear not- you do a great job keeping your home clean and nobody thinks otherwise. However, the yeast are there. What is really neat is that the yeast near me is different than the yeast near you, so even if we both have starters, they might produce very different breads.

The ingredients are as basic as can be. All you need is water and flour. I used this really well written recipe from King Arthur Baking. I also used one of my trusty canning jars in a one quart size. The whole deal with yeast is that they make baked goods expand. I want to make sure my starter has room to expand as the yeast divide and burp. I started this starter on February 1, Brigid’s Day, as she is traditionally celebrated with grain-based foods.

Here is my starter getting its first “feeding” the next day (02/02/2025). The thing about the feeding is it requires you to discard a portion of the starter. I do not like food waste. This is the Big Thing That Stopped Me from trying a starter earlier. However, I have learned that the sour dough discard does not need to end up in the trash. This convinced me to give sour dough starters a try.

I have made many batches of these crackers (also from King Arthur Baking) with my discard. I actually have the recipe memorized at this point. I add two tablespoons of wheat germ and a bit less salt to the recipe. I have made some with parmesan cheese and garlic powder rolled in and they are amazing. When my herb garden is up and running I will definitely experiment with cheese and herb combinations.

Now, If you know me, you know over-thinking things is my passion. I was reluctant to develop a sourdough starter because I had to ask myself, “What will I do in the Hot Months if it is too hot to bake and I need to feed the starter, thus creating discard?” The answer I learned only recently is this: I keep chickens. Chickens love sourdough starter mixed with…well, anything! I have been giving the ladies starter mixed with meal worms, scratch grain, and sunflower seeds to get them through the Arctic temperatures that have settled in New England lately. They even eat the oyster shell I mix in. Which is amazing, because these ladies have never accepted oyster shell calcium any other way.

King Arthur Baking optimistically wrote their starter recipe to mature in one week. It is February 17 and mine is still in process. I could not keep it in the kitchen, as it is just too cold in there, so I moved it to the living room, specifically on top of Mr. Food It Yourself’s 110 gallon aquarium. Much like a refrigerator, heat rises from the tank. Unlike a refrigerator, my Hobbit-sized self can reach the top of it. I have been feeding the starter daily, but have not yet hit the point noted in the instructions that signal it is time to start feeding twice each day.

Being an impatient little Hobbit, I tried a loaf of bread with what I currently have.

I took a portion of discard and added water and flour, measuring with my heart. (What can go wrong when you follow your heart?) I let that ferment overnight and got some big yeast action. I mixed flour, sugar, oil and salt to replicate my favorite batter bread recipe; cut in half to produce only one loaf. After almost 24 hours of raising, this is the result. Not a strong response. I then remembered I have a “proof” setting on my oven. I poured the batter into a loaf pan and proofed for 2 hours. With a promising expansion I baked the loaf.

There is a definite tang, in a good way. The loaf is soft and 100% sandwich worthy. I am convinced that my patience will be rewarded in letting my local yeast dictate the timeline of my starter’s maturity.

Honesty time- I have learned that many sour dough starter owners name their starter and this was a big draw for me. Much like chickens and Burlesque performers, names with puns are traditional. I have heard of starters called “Bready White”, “The Yeasty Boys”, “Sir Isaac Gluten”, and “Edgar Allan Dough”. I call my starter “Carloaf Santana”.

What is a food trend you were slow to adopt, but are now glad you tried? Or, what trend were you disappointed with? Share in the comments!