Living Sourdough - Part 1

Ever since I read a book where the heroine made sourdough bread every day, I've been captivated by the thought of making the same (By Bread Alone by Sarah-Kate Lynch). In this book, she was taught, I think, by her first love – a Frenchman; her husband also loved her for her skill. And he could tell her state of mind by her making, or not making of that bread.

The whole thing was so well described; it has just made me want to do it. And do you know what(?), it’s not easy. I have tried different recipes, with varying degrees of success. To be fair, there has been only one occasion when I had to throw the sourdough starter away because it didn't start and began to smell very peculiar. But to make sourdough bread that I could be proud of hasn't happened yet.

Add to the scenario a husband (my ownxx) who cooks sublime wholemeal bread in batches for a weeks supply and who would like me to get involved in this whole baking process and you have nearly the current position. My last effort was from a Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall recipe that I found. The bread was edible, but it wasn't going to set the world alight and was far better toasted than fresh. And following a lunch in a café where I ate some of the sourdough bread, I came home and threw the starter away. This wasn't for me, I thought.

Until, one weekend a few weeks ago, in my weekend Telegraph papers, I found bread recipes from that gorgeous Paul Hollywood. And there was a section on ….you guessed it – sourdough. Reading through the very clear instructions, I felt my spirits rise. Maybe, I could do it – maybe this time I could produce sourdough to be proud of.

This week I made a start, having purchased one of those glass Kilner air tight jars in which to put the starter in and organic apples, one of which was to be grated to the flour and water mix as the starter base.

As I mixed the flour and water together in the prescribed quantities, I was a bit perplexed as it seemed very dry. In fact there was a lot of loose flour around. So I added a little more water, remembering that the amount of water that you add is sometimes dependent on the flour (I hoped). The grated apple came next. Then everything was put in the glass jar which was shut up and put in my study.

The first day was rather quiet, although after twenty four hours, I could see a few small bubbles. By the end of the second day, things were definitely on the move with the mixture rising up the jar. At the end of the third day, the bubbly mixture had dropped down to its original level, and was ready for feeding.

Reading the instructions carefully, I measured out the flour and the water – again, a very dry mix and a little more water added. I then opened the jar to find that the bubbly mixture was a sticky glutinous bubble mix, better than I had seen before. It was a shame to have to dispose of half the mix, but this I duly did and added the rest to the flour and water mix. Again, I was startled to see as I was stirring large bubbles appearing on every stir of the spoon. I felt a lot more confident – maybe this was going to work.

 The mixture was placed back into the container, which was shut up for two more days. I can tell you that at the moment, it, after two hours has recommenced bubbling and I will keep you in touch as to my and its progress.