Bread!

I have become a woman obsessed. Obsessed with achieving the perfect loaf. Not long after I started this blog back in 2009 I had my first success with bread making. It then became a habit, regular kneading and eating. Then bread bought from anywhere just didn’t satisfy any more; it had to be my home-made loaf or nothing. A few years ago I experimented with sourdough, but it wasn’t a hit. I hadn’t waited long enough for the starter to mature and the resulting loaf was just too acidic. The starter was too much trouble to maintain. Back to the yeasted loaf we went.

Then at the beginning of this year I became tempted once more by the attraction of building a sourdough starter. At first taste of that first loaf I was bewitched and so began the quest for creating the perfect sourdough loaf.

I have researched the net and bought the books. I have joined the Real Bread Campaign to get tips from there. I have bought scrapers and a lame to improve my chances. I have researched flours and visited mills. I am learning about hydration and how to manage that sticky dough. The kitchen smells of yeast or freshly baked bread. There is always a fine layer of flour dust on the kitchen shelves that needs to be dusted away.  I have had great loaves emerge from the oven and some not so great, but all of them have tasted good.

The bread journey continues. I will keep you updated.

Sourdough

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14 thoughts on “Bread!”

  1. I’m just on the point of getting started on a sourdough starter again. I once got passionate about the whole business, and the affair lasted for months. But for some reason or another, I stopped (it was taking over my life I seem to remember). Time to renew the affair!

    1. It does take over your life. I have become addicted to the making and the eating. I am beginning to wonder if I have spiked it with something without being aware of it. Do renew the affair and let me know how you are getting on. I have just had a quick catch up of your blog but I will be back to read more and make sure I am completely up to date (life has been so busy for me just lately I have let my blog reading habit drop). I love the Bread Actually piece. What a great bakery.

  2. gorgeous loaves. I have been on a similar journey–but I did purchase a sourdough starter from King Arthur’s that is descended from a New England batch 200 years ago. I love using it, feeding it, keeping it in my fridge, and baking a loaf a week. so fun.

  3. Always been to busy cooking things other people wanted me to cook. Now I have time for myself a bit more often, I too have the bread baking bug. Like you say its addictive. And as for the smell of freshly baking bread…

  4. Is this what has been keeping you quiet all these weeks? Although it’s nice to ring the changes from time to time, five years on and I’m still in love with my Rye sourdough.

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