Sour Dough Journey

As I searched the web for how to begin this journey, and how to make different products, I was completely fascinated by the many tools required for the journey. Special jars to grow the starter in, scales to measure the amounts of ingredients, mixers with dough hooks. And I thought, my grandmothers and grandmothers grandmothers likely made bread like this, without all these tools. And so, that's how I began this journey, with measuring cups, clean jars that had once held pickles, spring water, wooden spoons, and flour. I began in January, which in Florida is not like January in North Dakota. However, the temperature is not constant so it affected how things went, just as it must have for generations of people. 

I started with one starter (recipe below), then I didn't want to waste the discard and the second day had 2, and the third day 4, which is where I decided that I could begin discarding. These 4 starters stayed close to the same development, but not the exact same. One 'ripened' first, and a couple days later the second was ready to bake, while the third took a couple days more. Interesting, huh? Like people in the exact same environment, with the exact same ingredients develop at different speeds. And it's a messy process. All of it. But the result is worth it.

Once I made the first loaf, I learned many new things about the dough, surprised by the stickiness of it, l learning that wet fingers helped to manage that. And that while I stretched the dough, twice before proofing (as directed) it didn't rise as expected. I found that if I changed the recipe slightly, I got what I expected from it. The point is, like those pioneers before us, don't get discouraged! 

I may have to abandon my journey, if whispers of food shortages are correct.

Just a little flour & water every day	To Make a paste that will grow	And produce bubbles of yeast
You discard half every feeding	And make a serious mess	When it floats, you can start dough
Which you mix and watch	As it changes shapes	And for me, so far - falls!
Great flavor but...

Starter Recipe: Almost 1/2 cup flour and 1/4 cup spring water to start. The same to add the next day, after removing 1/2 of the mixture in your container. This continues for 3 days (in a warm climate +78 degrees and 4 or 5 days if in a cooler climate), when you step up to the change out (feeding) to twice a day, twelve hours apart. The consistency changes, the mix becomes bubbly with yeast. It's ready to start baking when the day the mix doubles in 4-6 hours from feeding, and a teaspoon of the mix floats in a cup of water. There are lots of recipes out there, and methods. Mine took 13 - 16 days. Then when it's ready to bake with, the fun starts! I have made several flatter loaves, that taste great, but don't rise much, using several different recipe's (one that took about 25 hours.) Don't expect it to go well from the start, expect to be messing with sticky dough (keep your hands wet) and to be adjusting recipes to (in my case) add more starter.