Sourdough Bread Starter

Today, since Winter has decided to linger, Punxsutawney Phil having seen his shadow and determined that we will have six more weeks of Winter, I have started a Sourdough starter for the first time in my life. I really cannot believe I have never done this before, it looks so simple. Fingers crossed, I have already started the compulsive act of checking it for signs of natural growth.   I feel so accomplished when creating with my hands. It just brings back such wonderful memories of my beautiful Momma who could truly create a masterpiece from what appeared to be nothing in her pantry. A child born in the 1920’s full of stories of the “old days” when families loved and lived together, Sunday dinner was an weekly event and times were simpler and because of that simplicity appeared to be so much happier and easy. Truly the simple from scratch art of cooking of the bygone days is today’s art of gourmet cooking. In those times kitchen gardens were a true staple of every household, not to mention a necessity and wonderful source of food and fresh herbs.  So many stories about all of the people who were of so much importance in her life, that I had and never would have the opportunity to meet as they had passed over already before my time, being a child of the 60’s.  I relished her many stories and am so thankful for the time that I took to listen to her talk about the “old days”, being an natural born introvert and an avid reader which made me very much of a homebody when I was a little girl.

Recently I’ve been researching how to combine my many passions into one. Cooking, Baking, Herbs, Gardening, Weaving, Art, Creating, there is just not enough hours in the day to be able to accomplish everything I want to do and as everyone can relate, there are always too many irons in the fire.  The best solution that I can come to is to find a way to combine them in some unique way. I need to find a system to accomplish. I’m sure everyone has this problem LOL.

When I finally have my Sourdough starter completed and I am ready to make the bread, I will be infusing  roasted garlic in virgin olive oil for dipping. Garlic is such a wonderful therapeutic herb that I use in abundance. It is considered one of the most effective anti-microbial plants available. It acts on bacteria, viruses and alimentary parasites. It combats bronchitis, respiratory infections, recurrent colds and influenza. It can possibly aid in the treatment of whooping cough  as well as bronchial asthma. It can also be used as a pro-biotic, cultivating the natural bacterial flora and killing pathogenic organisms. It can reduce blood pressure if taken for a continuous period of time and can reduce blood cholesterol levels. Overall garlic can be a unique protector for our body. Not to mention that it taste fabulous roasted in olive oil.

SOURDOUGH BREAD STARTER

• 1 Cup  Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 Cup Warm Water

Mix thoroughly with a metal whisk.

Mix in an earthenware or plastic bowl that has a lid to cover and store in a warm spot, such as the kitchen. Let sit for 24 hours and then feed again. But first remove/dispose of half and feed with another 1 c Whole Wheat flour and 1 c Warm Water, mixing it all together with a metal whisk. For each subsequent feeding follow the same process but replace the warm water with cold water. Continue this process for a week, smelling and checking your starter for fermentation. After a week has passed, then you will be ready to make bread.

For two weeks I have been feeding my Sourdough Bread Starter, now I am ready to make bread! This is what my starter looks like and as far as the smell is concerned  its aroma is that of almost fermented cider, seriously, I can smell fermented apples. This is what it looks like:

Sourdough Sponge

• 4 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
• 2 1/2 Cups Warm Water
• 1 Ladle Full of Sourdough Bread Starter

To make my sponge, I am taking 4 cups of whole wheat bread flour, 2 1/2 cups of warm water and 1 ladle full of my Sourdough Bread Starter. Mix by hand thoroughly until all of the flour lumps are smooth within the sponge. Cover with a plastic bag and let sit overnight in a fairly warm spot. If you are a visual person like I am, please see the photo’s below to give you a step by step instruction.

Four cups whole wheat bread flour..

Add two and ahalf cups warm water and a ladle full of your sourdough bread starter..

Mix by hand for approximately ten minutes until all of the flour lumps are smooth within your sponge. This is real true therapy…

It will look like this and smell lovely.

Place your bowl of sourdough sponge into a plastic bag…

Tie the top of your plastic bag and set your sourdough sponge in a fairly warm location overnight. I put my on top of my stove.

Continued in Sourdough Bread Making Post