The kids and I have started on a sourdough bread recipe. This week, we made the sourdough starter. This will have to ferment for at least two days before we can make sourdough bread in the bread machine.
Making sourdough starter
People either love or hate sourdough bread. I happen to love it. However, I have had to stay away from gluten for the past four years, due to gluten intolerance. As I have progressed more in my allergy treatment, it seems that I can timidly have a serving of gluten once a week or so, without pain and bloating.
One of my friends is a dietician and she encouraged me to try sourdough bread. She then added, “But true sourdough bread, not what you find in the store. They put many other ingredients in it.”
Starter for sourdough bread after mixing ingredients well
This gave me the motivation to make my own sourdough bread. The starter has always scared me or turned me off. Having things ferment over several days on the counter just seems to lack hygiene. In reality, it does not. Plus, desperate situations require desperate measures.
Different Motivation Levels
So here I was, telling the kids we would venture into sourdough world. My daughter declared she did not like sourdough bread, so she had no interest in learning how to make it. I did not insist because I understand her point. This recipe has stared me in the face in my bread machine cookbook for years. I ignored it because I had no interest.
My son stayed in the kitchen and helped me measure the ingredients for the starter. He took pity on me, I suppose. Just kidding. He is a curious soul, with a thirst for knowledge. Plus, he is two years older than my daughter. He exhibits a little more maturity in handling situations. Five minutes to mix four ingredients? No problem, mom.
Starter Recipe
2 cups spring water
1 Tbl sugar, honey or maple syrup (optional)
2 cups all purpose flour
1 Tbl yeast
Beat ingredients together in a two-quart bowl. Cover bowl with a towel and place in a warm place for 2-5 days. Once a day, stir it back together. Separation will occur. When you smell a sour, yeasty aroma, you can use it in a sourdough recipe.
At the next step, we will use some of it to make bread and put the rest in the fridge in a jar. Next week, I will come back to tell you how it all worked out.
