This is what my current sourdough loaf of bread looks like.
And this is what it looks like when it is cut open.
I’m happy with it. I make a loaf every three to four days.
It took a long time to get to the point where I could consistently produce a pleasing sourdough loaf. I’m not counting my first efforts from nearly four years ago. On that occasion I didn’t even reach the point of a vibrant active starter. I lost interest and shelved that project.
In November of 2023, I set out on the sourdough path once again. This time I was treating it as research for another project. I was astounded by how much more information was readily available. There are numerous excellent books available in our public library. And probably hundreds of HowTo videos have been added to YouTube. Yet even with this wealth of information, it still took almost two months of trial and error before I had a viable sourdough starter. And it took another month of failed attempts at making a loaf of sourdough bread. (Yes, I now know what a “pancake” loaf looks like and tastes like — not good!) But by mid January I had finally achieved my first successful loaf. The next one was even better. As was the next. After seven successful loaves in a row, I moved from a 100% white bread flour loaf to 50% white bread flour, 40% whole wheat flour, and 10% dark rye flour. And that’s the loaf that I’ve been making ever since (and the one that you see above).
I still have a very long way to go on my sourdough journey, but I felt I could pause at this point and make a few notes.
Sourdough newbies like me often bore on about their so-called achievements. I’ll spare you. But if you would like to learn more, perhaps these pages will satisfy you. I’ll add more on specific aspects of the process and choices that need to be made when I am able.