That time a bakery owner told me 'sourdough starter is just flour and water, anyone can do it'

I was at a farmer's market in Denver last Saturday and overheard this woman with a fancy booth telling a customer that sourdough starter is basically no big deal. It made me think about how so many people underestimate the patience it takes to keep one alive and healthy. My own starter took 3 full weeks before it actually started rising right, and I ruined two batches of bread before that. Have any of you had a similar moment where someone made baking sound way easier than it really is?

2 comments

2 Comments

lee_barnes703d ago

I read somewhere that sourdough starters date back to ancient Egypt, and people have been messing them up ever since. That bakery owner was probably just trying to make herself sound impressive, but it's not like a perfect rise happens overnight. I killed my first two starters before I got one that actually worked, so I feel your pain.

noahw533d ago

Actually the ancient Egyptians used a different method more like wild yeast beer fermentation, not the flour and water starter we know today. The continuous sourdough process we use now is closer to what became common in Europe around the Middle Ages. Still took me three tries to get my starter going right too though.

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