Sourdough bread

[Darlene]

I know we have many posts about sourdough bread and making it, etc, but I wanted to share a few observations I've had recently with it.

 

I made my original sourdough with a starter and a recipe. It was really good but something was missing in it for me but I didn't know what it was. After a while, I stopped making it and let my starter die. I bought a new sourdough starter last year, but it was too busy to use and I ended up losing it.

 

A few weeks ago, my mom got on a kick of wanting to make sourdough bread and asked me where I got my starter. She ordered what I had always ordered, and my dad asked for a recipe for the 'no knead sourdough bread' I used to make.

I ended up giving him a different recipe than I had always used...not sure why (probably because that recipe wasn't "IT"). When 2 daughters and I went down to help my parents a few weeks ago, they made us a loaf of sourdough bread. When I tried it, I flipped because it was like the bread we used to get from the european bakeries when I was a little kid.

 

When I got home, I decided to get some new starter myself and found this amazing site with several different starters that are hundreds of years old. I made a loaf about a week ago and it was completely different (in a good way) from the sourdough I used ot make so I think it's partly the sourdough starter I have, plus a better recipe and I ate half the loaf in 2 days lol.

 

I just made my 2nd batch of this sourdough bread, and instead of keeping it in the fridge for 12 hours of cold fermentation, I did 2 days. What a freaking difference even that made. I had some last night and was amazed at how the flavor of the bread stayed on my tastebuds for several hours later (not in a bad way).

 

I also noticed something huge (for me). Normally, if I just have some toast or a bagel at breakfast, within 30-60 min, I will get really tired...must be my sugar tanking trying to process the carbs. But, when I eat the fresh sourdough bread I make, that doesn't happen. It's a weird testimony of how the fermentation breaks certain things down for the body that don't tax the system requiring extra work to process (if that makes sense).

 

Also, when I was re-searching the sourdough starters I had forgotten how it breaks down everything to make it more digestible for humans and also unlocks a ton of vitamins and nutrients that are only unlocked during the sourdough starter fermentation process. I am seeing the truth of that as I completely switch over from store-bought breads...even fresh breads from quality bakeries...and instead, make my own sourdoughs. While I may not be able to live by 'bread alone' :), I certainly am eating it alot more than I ever had.

 

If anyone is interested, this is the site where I got my '900 year old starter' and have been using that for the past couple of weeks. I just ordered the 233 year old sourdough starter because I want to see if there's a taste difference between the 2 starters. I also ordered the European rye starter because I'd like to see if I can replicate the black breads we used to be able to get as a kid, and also because I have ordered bread from all over the country from European bakeries, and NONE of it is like what we used to be able to get. The sourdough I have been making lately is better than any of those childhood memories so I'm excited to branch out and try other starters.

 

Living Dough sourdough starters is where I got my starters.

 

King Arthur's no knead sourdough bread recipe is the recipe I'm currently using. It really is an easy recipe to make...no traditional kneading, just a few folds and preshaping.

 

Let me know if any of you try it!

[Darlene]

[euphrasyne]

Sourdoughs is all the same regardless of age.   Treat it like you want it.  That looks awesome! I'm tempted to order some.  

Edited April 7 by euphrasyne

[Darlene]

16 minutes ago, euphrasyne said:

Sourdoughs is all the same regardless of age.   Treat it like you want it.  That looks awesome! I'm tempted to order some.  

What do you mean they’re all the same?

 

I can see huge differences between my original sourdough starter and the new from smell to activity etc. 

[euphrasyne]

I've had several and have never noticed a difference in rise or taste.   They are all great.  I'm glad you like yours.  

[Darlene]

That’s interesting E. That’s one of the things I noticed right off the bat with this starter. It’s far more active and a lot more fragrant. I’m excited to see if there’s any aroma or taste difference with the San Fran starter. 

[Littlesister]

I am going to have to try this. Might be ordering some also. I want to start making sour dough bread again. It's been a long, long time since I have made it. 

[Darlene]

Yeah I took a several year break mostly because while the recipe I used made great bread, it wasn’t that “it” for me. The KA recipe has blown me away and reignited my excitement over making bread. I started the process with my third loaf today. Less than a week from when I started the first loaf. 

[Becca_Anne]

Thanks for posting Darlene! I need to get myself some bread flour. I have a KA sourdough starter in my fridge I've been feeding whole wheat, but want to bake my bread with bread flour. I haven't yet made a real loaf of sourdough, just used the discard in my regular bread machine recipe. One flopped spectacularly (I think my machine had the wrong setting selected) and one loaf turned out great. I just haven't had the timing right to remember to start the process when I can pay attention to it. But I'd love to make it part of my routine.

[Darlene]

Yeah, it took me a little bit to figure out how to incorporate it into an already packed day. I think the thing that motivated was that first loaf lol. I eat it every day now. 

[Darlene]

I’m thinking about making some sourdough crackers with the discard too. I think they’d be amazing with everything bagel seasoning on them.