sourdough bread / artisan bread



artisan bread - every batch is different in the sense of always good and better and better - a work of edible art - and a naturally timeless interaction and energy exchange......... humans have been making naturally leavened bread for thousands and thousands of years - each starter is unqiue - a culture of the wild style yeasts in a particular environment that is cared for nourished and tended much like a garden - to produce healthy, delicious, nourishing whole food...

the bread log / gallery of sourdough education _ 01 / 02 / 03 / 04 / 05 / 06 / 07 / 08 / 09 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15 / 16 / 17 / 18 / 19 / 20

making your own starter

in a clean, clear glass jar (wide-mouth ball jars work great), or clean earthenware crock (large enough to hold about 3 cups of starter), combine 1 cup of organic whole wheat flour and 1 cup of lukewarm water... stir well, cover with a cloth or poke holes in the lid, and set in a warm (between 65 and 70° is ideal) dark place - let sit for 8 hours, then discard half of the mixture, add another 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup lukewarm water, stir well, and put it back in a dark warm spot... repeat this process every morning and night for a minimum of 1 week, preferably 2... be as clean as possible when mixing everything to avoid any weirdness

after about 2 weeks of this, you can use your starter right away or stick it in the fridge to be used when you are ready... your starter needs air - not too much to dry it out, but enough to keep it breathing - a cloth with a rubber band around it works nicely, or if you have a lid that you can poke a few holes in this is cool too



the procedure / basic bread recipe

the traditional way is to take your starter, add new flour and water, let it proof, then take a pinch of your proof and put it back in the fridge... its simple but sometimes one can forget to do that part, and if you forget, you end up with no starter! so we began using a hybrid as a precaution: 3/4 cup of starter stays in the fridge in a glass jar with a cheese cloth and rubber band around the mouth, with the lid just lightly resting on it - you can also use a jar with a couple holes poked in the lid (like a reused peanut butter jar)... take out the starter, stir well with a nice clean spoon, pour half of the mixture into another jar and leave half in the same jar (wash this jar frequently) - add 1/4 cup whole wheat flour, 1/4 cup lukewarm pure water to each jar, stir well, cover both lightly... place one jar in a warm dark place and leave the other one out at room temp for about 8 hours... finally, place the jar left out at room temp back in the fridge for the next time you bake - take the other jar and add 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup lukewarm water, stir well, cover lightly, and set in warm dark spot for another 8 hours... for us, this process starts at like 5pm, to 1am, to 9am

next morning, mix 10 cups of flour with 4 - 5 cups lukewarm water in a big bowl or pot (halve these portions in two bowls if you are making a mix of whole wheat and white loaves), stir your starter well, then add it to the flour and water and mix until it is roughly combined - let the flour sit and absorb the water for 30 minutes to 1 hour and lightly cover the bowl/pot while it sits to keep it moist... sprinkle in 1 to 2 tbsp. pure sea salt, stir a bit, then pour dough out onto a floured board / counter... begin to work the dough, and knead for about 10 to 15 minutes... knead by continually pressing one palm into the center and pulling the outer edges of the dough into the center with your other hand, working in circles to make it smooth and round - keep dusting your space with flour to prevent sticking, but not so much as to make a dry dough... once thoroughly kneaded, place the dough back in the bowl/pot, cover lightly, and set aside at room temp for 4 hours

remove risen dough onto a floured counter and begin shaping your loaves - you can use oiled/floured bread pans, oiled bowls, floured baskets, or baking sheets dusted with flour for rising... set your shaped loaves aside (we usually do a variety of 1 and 2 lb. pieces - this is when you add any extra ingredients as well - cinnamon and raisins, sesame, poppy seeds, herbs, etc.), and cover with a clean kitchen towel or piece of linen for 4 more hours... after 3 - 3 1/2 hours, begin preheating your oven at 500° - dust your baking stone and place one to two loaves on it, or if you are using pans, simply put them in the oven... bake for 15 - 25 minutes, depending on loaf size and your oven... go for a nice golden brown crust - when you tap the bottom of the bread and it sounds hollow its done... cool completely + enjoy

sourdough bread should not be stored in plastic bags - and if you have no other way, at least leave an opening to allow for a little circulation - bread isn't really meant to be refrigerated (it will stale up to 6 times faster)... it is best stored in a bread box, or wrapped in a paper bag (which can be placed in a plastic bag that is slightly open to keep it from getting too dry)... a bread box is a VERY good investment if you are getting into baking

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