A chat with my neighbor made me see my sourdough starter differently

I was walking my dog last Tuesday and ran into my neighbor, Mrs. Ellis, who's in her 80s. She saw my flour-dusted apron and asked if I was still 'messing with that sourdough.' I told her I was fighting a sluggish starter that wouldn't rise right. She just laughed and said, 'Honey, you're feeding it like a prize pet. It's just flour and water. It doesn't need a schedule, it needs you to pay attention to it.' That simple line hit me hard because I realized I'd been blindly following a rigid feeding chart I found online for months, stressing over exact grams and hours. I went home, tossed the chart, and just looked at the starter. It was bubbly but thin, so I used a bit less water that next feed. Two days later, it was the most active it's been since I began. I was so focused on the rules I forgot to just watch and react. Has anyone else had a moment where they stopped following a recipe so strictly and just listened to the dough?

2 comments

2 Comments

terry_mitchell12d ago

Funny how the rules can get in the way. I was the same with my starter, treating it like a science project. Now I just check if it looks hungry and feed it, no timer needed. Works way better.

the_val12d ago

Totally! I used to stress over exact measurements and times. Now I just go by the smell and if it's bubbly, way less hassle.