Adventures In Sourdough...

I adore eating bread and while it may not adore me back, because of the pounds I pack on just looking at it, I make it anyway every so often.  This all changed a week ago when I embarked on making my own Sourdough Starter.  Now I'm baking bread every day, sometimes twice.  I guess I really do live in San Francisco after all and can officially call this my home now that I am baking it's signature bread.  I've lived here for almost fifteen years, but now I think I really belong here.  LOL.  I guess I'm storing up for the winter, or something like that.

Just the smell of freshly baked bread has got to be one of the most luxurious things in life.  I plan on doing various bread installments on my blog because this sourdough starter is gifting us over and over and I have some amazing recipe ideas using different flours, herbs and aromatics.  Just please don't ask me for a gluten-free version.  I don't have one.  I'm sure it exists, I just have not gone there, yet.  I'm pretty sure my kitchen is made of wild yeasts and gluten at the moment.  The basic go-to recipe for the last few loaves of sourdough I have made is as follows:

Basic Sourdough Recipe
3 1/2 Cups+ Unbleached Bread Flour
1 Cup Sourdough Starter (I made my own in this case and feed it twice a day a combination of whole grain wheat, dark rye and white wheat flours)
3/4 Cup Warm Water
2 teaspoons Sea Salt
1 teaspoon Sugar

Each loaf gets prettier and tastier!  I am very excited about this new skill.  Stay tuned for stories, tips and more recipes!  Happy Baking!

Fourth Loaf, used starter and basic recipe (see above) baked in deep glass pie dish and made pretty design, SUCCESS

Third loaf, used starter only added Garlic and Italian Herbs, cooked it in a deep pie dish, SUCCESS and getting prettier

Second Loaf, not as pretty as I was going for but used starter only and waited 4 hours for a rise, SUCCESS, Delicious

First Loaf, I added my lovely starter and commercial yeast out of impatience (big mistake) tasted just like beer, FAIL

My First Sourdough Starter

Alright beloved readers, this is going to be an ongoing post that I will update as I discover my successes and failures on my adventures in making My First Sourdough Starter.  Who doesn't adore sourdough bread?  Here in San Francisco we are known for our Sourdough Bread.  I have often flirted with the idea of making my own sourdough starter but have never done it.  Today that is all going to change as I embark on the challenge.  I researched some recipes online but decided I would be experimental from the get go as I so often am on my culinary adventures.  Let the games begin!

I will post pictures after the first 24 hours so you can see what I'm working with.  Stay Tuned.

Sourdough Starter Recipe as follows (so far):
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup whole grain dark rye flour
1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons bottled spring water

I combined the flours and water and put them in a large stainless steel stock pot that is now basically covered (the lid has a small steam hole in it and I put a dishtowel on top).  I have the pot sitting on top of my refrigerator.  My understanding is the temperature level should stay somewhat consistent and ideally be over 70 degrees F.  In my poorly insulated home in San Francisco, 70 degrees F this time of year is a tall order but I'm hoping by putting the concoction on top of the fridge, the temperature will remain somewhat consistent.  We shall see.  I have set a reminder to myself to start "feeding" the starter 24 hours from now and twice a day, roughly 12 hours apart, from this point forward for at least a week before using the starter.

PLEASE NOTE:  My inspiration for this recipe came from the following recipe and website: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/blog/2012/04/05/creating-your-own-sourdough-starter-the-path-to-great-bread/