In case you haven’t been closely reading all of my past blog posts, you should know: I really like to bake. I spend money on good flour, and I’ve collected far too much of my mom’s hand-me-down baking equipment over the years. I like baking sweet things, and I love cake decorating, but what I’ve enjoyed most in the past year is experimenting with sourdough.
Caring for my Sourdough Starter
I have three pets, but my sourdough starter probably counts as a fourth dependent in the house. When you make regular bread, all you need is some type of packaged yeast to get things going, but sourdough is more delicate. In fact, your starter is a way of cultivating wild yeast, which bring that sour flavor to the bread.
But these wild yeasts aren’t nearly as fast-acting as packaged yeast, and they also have to be kept alive in between baking projects. Thankfully, this isn’t too difficult. I keep my starter in the fridge, and three days before a baking project (or two, or one if I’m pushing things), I pull it out and set it on my counter. If I planned three days ahead, I’ll feed it (with flour and water) once a day until baking day. If I didn’t plan ahead, I’ll feed it two or three times a day at least one day ahead of time. Thankfully, my starter is pretty robust, and even one day seems to be enough time to wake it up.
Have I lost you yet? When the starter is active and ready to bake with, it’ll be bubbly and airy—those wild yeasts will be having a full-on party. It makes me so happy to see my starter bubbling away!
But That’s Just the Beginning…
Once the starter is ready to go, then comes the act of actually baking the bread. I’ve seen recipes where baking sourdough requires two full days of labor. In comparison, my go-to recipe “only” takes one full day. I start the process in the morning, mixing my sourdough starter, flour and water (using a digital scale so I’m precise in my measurements). Then, for two hours, I periodically stretch and fold the dough (instead of kneading). This slower, gentler approach creates really strong gluten structures, which in turn give the sourdough that signature chewiness.
After those two hours, it rises in a bowl for another two hours. After that, I pre-shape it on the counter, let it rest 20 minutes, and then do a final shaping so that I have two loaves. Those go into floured banneton bowls. The loaves rest in those bowls for about two more hours. Near the end, I preheat my Dutch oven in the oven. FINALLY, the loaf goes into the heated oven and starts baking. For about an hour.
Are We Done Yet?
Theoretically, no. After taking the loaf out, it’s supposed to cool completely before cutting into it. Baking is still happening as the steam in the bread slowly releases and creates the signature “crumb” with big air pockets. Cutting in early won’t give you the same texture or taste.
But I’ll be honest, my loaves rarely make it to the point of cooling completely. Usually I cut in early because I love spreading butter and honey on hot, fresh-baked bread. Great, now I’m hungry…
How Does This Relate To…Anything?
I promise it relates! I didn’t torture you with bread descriptions for nothing! Though you probably already knew that based on the title.
Baking is a habit that I started cultivating when I decided I needed to get my finances under control. A non-zero amount of my credit card debt was probably gourmet gluten products…somewhere in there. It was always a treat to stop at a local bakery and pick up a loaf of delicious bread. Now, it’s still a treat, but not one I indulge as often because I love the experience of baking at home.
I also think there’s a natural comparison to be made between the careful, prolonged preparation of sourdough and investing for long-term goals. Sure, it’s flashier to go out and spend money today. But I make sourdough bread because it’s worth the wait, and so is investing in my future. I don’t miss my mindless online shopping sprees when it’s Thursday afternoon and the week just won’t seem to end. Or the knee-jerk reaction to go and spend $5 on coffee when my morning is a struggle.
Sourdough is also a really good representation of the vibe I’m going for in my life. Mindful, deliberate action for more real experiences. I could buy a loaf of bread at the grocery store, but I appreciate it more when I make it myself. And when I’m stressing or anxious about something, baking is a great way to feel like I’m doing something productive other than worrying. Focusing on rituals and routines that make me happy brings significantly more substance into my life.
In an effort to celebrate small things that make me happy every day, I’ve incorporated a Daily Gratitude Calendar into my bullet journal routine. I’ve also designed two downloadable versions for my Etsy shop if you’re interested; here and here.