Start Me Up: The Sourdough Chronicles

Today I found a draft blog post from 2013. Title? “Three Times Lucky - Sourdough Starter Face-off”.

⁣I don’t really know what was lucky or what the face-off was about, because I only got as far as that title. I have a funny feeling my luck may have failed.⁣⁣ But, ever willing to take on a seemingly impossible task, here I am again. The mystery is how flour and water can so confound me. I guess that’s where the science and magic comes in, and what keeps drawing me back. ⁣

The attempts thus far have been fair to middling. I've had more success with biga (a sponge that's used to supplement a yeast dough) than with the starter. ⁣These lovely bubbles actually produced a pretty decent loaf. I used this recipe from Carol Field (and highly recommend her classic book The Italian Baker).

The best of all (pictured at the top of this post and below) required no starter and no kneading - Jim Lahey's famous no knead artisanal bread, which replicates for home bakers an echo of the beauty of his Sullivan Street Bakery Pugliese. 

I’m hopeful. I really am. Michael Sampson, of The Sicilian Pantry - and my bread making hero - shared the recipe and video that got him started. A little more than 24 hours in and I’m seeing happy, bubbly frothy promise in my umpteenth attempt. I’ve put it in a glass container. I’ve even named it. But until the baby is full born and flourishing, I’ll keep her identity under (plastic) wraps.⁣
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