Sourdough Started

I have recently become obsessed with making bread. There is just something about bread making, rising, baking and smelling up the whole house that just feels like real life. It feels motherly! And I like that feeling a lot these days! As it stands, I have not ventured too far away from traditional yeast, but recently came across a website on making your own sourdough starter. I remember a few years back, Ashley, one of the guys I work with, was telling me all about capturing wild yeast floating around in the air and using it to make sourdough bread- I of course thought he was a liar (he has been know to toss around a fib or two... always using his charm on us gullible girls!) but then was introduced to the website breadtopia.com complete with a video and step-by-step instructions on making your own sourdough starter! Obviously I had to give it a try, so tonight we started the first step in the several day process.

here are the basic directions:

* Step 1. Mix 3 ½ tbs. whole wheat flour with ¼ cup pineapple juice. Cover and set aside for 48 hours at room temperature. Stir vigorously 2-3x per day.

* Step 2. Add to the above 2 tbs. whole wheat flour and 2 tbs. pineapple juice. Cover and set aside for a day or two. Stir vigorously 2-3x per day. You should see some activity of fermentation within these 48 hours. If you don’t, you may want to toss this and start over

* Step 3. Add to the above 5 ¼ tbs. whole wheat flour and 3 tbs. purified water. Cover and set aside for 24 hours.

* Step 4. Add ½ cup whole wheat flour and 1/4 to 1/3 cup purified water. You should have a very healthy sourdough starter by now.

Breadtopia states "Baking bread from scratch is satisfying in its own right, but when you’ve also had a hand in the creation of one of the most fundamental components, the leavening agent itself, you’ll feel an even greater satisfaction and connectedness to the process." Well- You cant really argue with that! I will keep you posted on our progress and, hopefully, our first loaf of sourdough!



*Obviously not my bread, but SO pretty!