A few weeks ago I got the bright idea that it would be interesting to learn how to make sourdough bread. The price of the bread we eat is inching closer to $8 a loaf each time we go to the grocery store and I decided I'd had enough of paying those prices. Ugh, inflation is real.
I’ve baked bread before and actually got quite good at it back in the 1990’s. Back then I had a baking stone and a spray bottle to make sure the oven was at the proper humidity level and everything.
I’ve quickly learned making sourdough bread is an entirely different level. As I usually do, I jumped into it with both feet. I binged sourdough YouTube videos to learn everything I could. I bought an enameled cast iron dutch oven, banneton basket, scouring lame, and several fancy dough scrapers. Oh, and of course the starter culture. My confidence level was off the charts at this point. I was going to slay it.
I followed the instructions to the letter and I can tell you taking care of a sourdough culture is much like taking care of a pet. You have to feed it (flour) and water it at least once a day to keep it going when you’re planning on baking. It takes real commitment.
After about seven days of pampering this culture it was baking day!
After a series of rises, stretches, folds, and the final shaping it was ready to put into the oven. The dough wasn’t quite rising like I expected but I was determined to see the process through. I felt like a proud father, I was looking through the little oven window rooting for it.
After about fifteen minutes of baking, the bread began to fill our condo with the most delicious smell. Then came the moment of truth, it was ready to take out and cool down on the rack. It smelled like bread and the color was decent, I was happy.
The loaf rose in the oven more than I thought but it still kind of resembled a UFO. I mean, if I put little green action figures around it and painted it silver it really could have been the centerpiece of a Roswell diorama.
After the grueling hour of cooling I cut into loaf and the middle of the bread was hollow. What was worse, the dough around the crust was super dense and heavy.
I managed to hack off a few of the better pieces and made a sandwich out of them and the bread tasted great. The only problem is it sat in my stomach for the entire rest of the afternoon like a lead ball.
So, I’ll try again. I’ll master this yet. In the meantime, the birds and the squirrels around here are going to be rooting for me to fail so they can continue to feast on my mistakes.
I hope you enjoy what’s left of your weekend.
~Eric Vance Walton~
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(Gif compliments of Giphy.com and it is the kind of sourdough loaf I aspire to make.)
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