Thursday 5 September 2013

Back to school - Welcome to Sourdough September

So my wee boy has started school at last and life seems to be returning to some kind of version of normality. Am I the only one that already needs another holiday though?

Now that everyone is back from their jols the Bread Club seems busier than ever and for the first time I have had to split up Sourdough week so that my starter, oven and sanity can cope with the demand. With Edenmill Farm getting busier, more granola orders & Killearn market also going well I'm beginning to have regular dreams about owning a proper commercial oven. Well, I would be dreaming of one if I actually had time for any sleep!

It's all good fun though and I'm still finding time to try new things (see croissant pic) and loving making so many new friends through the medium of bread.

Next up on the big list of things to do is to spread the love of Real Bread further and set up a couple of dates for a bread class as well as start giving some serious bread making thought to the 'C' word that rhymes with 'Bhristmas'.

But first, it's time to enjoy Sourdough September and with cooler weather, a happy starter and a quieter house I intend to do just that! If you've never tried making or eating Sourdough before its time to give it a go. All you need is a large tupperware, some flour and water and with a bit of commitment and nurture you can soon be making your own great real bread.

Here's how to do it:

Mix 125g flour (any kind will do but I like rye flour) with about 200ml of water, whisk for 10 minutes to get all the lovely wild yeast in from the air around you. When it is frothy and thickened to the consistency of thick paint, pour it into a sealable container with plenty of room for the starter to grow. Glass jars look prettier but have a tendency to explode, so I use a big tall Tupperware that fits in the fridge door. For the first week you will need to feed your starter every day by pouring half off and repeating the steps above. After that you can feed it once a week. After a few weeks of this it should start to smell sweetly sour - mine smells a bit like apples and vinegar. When it gets to this stage and bubbles up quickly every time you feed it you are ready to start baking.

But that is another story...