There are a lot of articles out there telling you how to create a sourdough starter. Despite this, as a sourdough baker, the most questions I get asked are about sourdough starters. I’ve birthed a lot of starters over my … Read More
There is a lot of equipment out there aimed at the at-home sourdough baker. In my experience, most of it is non-essential and will just fill up your cupboards. There are however, a few things that really will help you … Read More
It’s not easy creating a sourdough starter. In fact, I think it’s the hardest thing about baking sourdough bread. Especially if it’s your first time. Sometimes, you follow the instructions meticulously, yet it doesn’t work. In my experience, this is … Read More
I managed to find wholegrain spelt flour again and am back to baking my favourite 100% wholegrain spelt sourdough loaf. The experience of eating it makes me realise just how much I prefer wholegrain hands-down to white or semi-white flour. Its texture and taste pleases me so much. And, thanks to the @smallfoodbakery post about milling waste the other day, I realise just how much it is an environmentally and socially good choice too.
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After experimenting with sourdough wholegrain spelt loaves for a while and finding that they went stale quite soon, I tried adding a ‘scald’ to the dough. That is a portion of flour that is made into a roux beforehand and added into the mixing bowl with my flour, salt, starter and water. It makes such a difference – the loaf is softer, more sliceable and ages better.
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At some point, I’ll write it up. In fact, at some point, I’ll get to documenting a whole load about wholegrain sourdough. It is magic.
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Wish you were here for lunch 🙂
The literal meaning of the word companion is ‘the one with whom I break bread’. I feel that power – to bring people together – every time I make a loaf. I keep baking and trust that the future will hold so many potential around-the-table gatherings that it’ll make my heart sing; just like working the dough does. Love from my kitchen to yours. x
If you want to bake sourdough but aren’t, what is the biggest thing that’s stopping you?
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I have spent a lot of the last year and a half teaching myself sourdough, focusing on wholegrains and local flour. It has brought me so much. And I want to pass that on.
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So, if you’re struggling to bake it, tell me where you are having problems; what you’re struggling with. I’ll take that and try to figure out how I can mix it with my own skills and turn out something that’ll help people move on.
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In addition, if you want to help me out, please feel free to share/re-post this. The more people I can reach, the better I’ll get at figuring out how to get more beautiful loaves out there. A big THANK YOU!
I am totally in love with the recent podcast series ‘Cereal’ from @farmerama_radio. Yesterday I listened to episode 5, about sourdough and bakers who are championing local flour, community projects and real bread.
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Two threads from it are filling my thoughts right now:
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1 – Removing commodity from our food system at every level.
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This makes me want to ask, how can we get more people making sourdough at home? I think the *making* is the key, as when you start doing that you are naturally led to questions such as ‘where does my flour come from?’
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2 – Around 1/3 of bread in the UK ends up in the bin.
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This astounds me. I moved from the UK to Italy recently – a country that has an incredibly rich history in its ‘cucina povera’ of making stale bread taste a.m.a.z.i.n.g. in thousands of ways. I am reading a book by a local food author/historian which includes recipes like this right now. It might not solve all this problem, but we need to get people cooking with old bread.
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Can you tell how fired up I am?! I am so passionate about local food and there’s nowhere I feel that more than in my bread-making. If you’ve any thoughts, experiences or advice to share, I’d welcome it. I’d also really recommend listening to the Farmerama podcast.
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And, yes, almost forgot, I posted a picture here. This is today’s local spelt flour loaf. I am totally in love with not scoring my bread. Look at the beauty of that burst!
We usually travel into Florence to get our flour – wholegrain local spelt. Not being able to do that, we’re relying on the amazing ladies at the local health food store. They’ve only had semi-integrale (partially wholegrain) spelt recently, so my #sourdough loaves have been a bit whiter. I love not slashing them and seeing where they want to burst out 😉
How much difference does love make to our food? If water changes structure when we speak to it kindly (as #emoto showed with his experiments), how much does bread change when every part of making it is cherished, from the starter to the cutting? These are the two #sourdough breads I make, with love, each week. On the left, 100% wholegrain spelt, on the right 100% wholegrain rye. Somehow they nourish me and my family more than just flour, water and salt should.
Sourdough ‘Pane Marocca’ adapted for my family. Three ingredients: chestnut flour, wholegrain spelt flour (instead of wheat) and sweet potato (instead of white potato). It is delicious!
