Any Home Bakers Here?

[Kusanar]

I am reading all about Sourdough.......sounds very time consuming. I mix place in a tin rise and bake. There must be something REALLY special about sourdough?????? I do NOT have a lot of time to FUSS. And this seems like a lot of fuss. Please give me some reasons WHY
Sourdough? I am thinking perhaps I am missing something?

I personally like it for the historic aspect, before you could go to a store and buy a pack of yeast to bake bread, you had to either do unleavened breads, egg leavened stuff, or sourdough. They used to handle the sourdough a little differently back in the day than we do now, but the process is pretty much the same.

Sourdough bread is a little tougher than other breads, so for things like bread bowls that need to hold up to liquids, they are perfect. And, also the flavor, it's sourdough for a reason. The fermenting that happens in the starter adds a specific flavor to the bread that you just can't get with a fast rising loaf of bread because the fast rise doesn't allow the time to ferment.

 

[pennyJo1960]

View attachment 1151973 View attachment 1151971 View attachment 1151972 Rosebush that has the scent of clove, Heliotrope that is vanilla scented, and inside the breezeway very ripe Pawpaws. Wonderful aromas just outside the breezeway door (with no baking involved)!

Ebb tide have to mark that down would love one of clove roses

Well, of course I now have a cold... so, the sourdough is going to have to bear with me again since I don't have much energy to do anything after I get home from work and taking care of the animals... I have some in the freezer I can restart with if needed.[/QUOTE

I hope it does not hold on spent about 3 years battling pneumonia all starting as a cold be careful get some rest

Ron, The Antique Pail has a handle that turns....that does the kneading. Works Fine. Still have them.

hey girl post a photo of that pail please

I am reading all about Sourdough.......sounds very time consuming. I mix place in a tin rise and bake. There must be something REALLY special about sourdough?????? I do NOT have a lot of time to FUSS. And this seems like a lot of fuss. Please give me some reasons WHY
Sourdough? I am thinking perhaps I am missing something?

there is something special about sourdough... it brings your body back in line like a yogurt will flavor is simply a bonus

 

[chickmom3941]

I can answer this one! It depends! You can leave it on the counter if you want to mess with it a lot, like baking often, if it is warm, it's metabolism speeds up, so it needs more food. If you are only baking on the weekends, once you get it fired up and bubbling nicely, it can go in the fridge and be fed once a week when you are getting ready to bake with it (so pull it from the fridge Saturday morning, let it warm up, feed it Saturday afternoon, make your sponge after the sourdough is bubbling happily, then the sourdough can go back in the fridge and the sponge stays out to bake Sunday morning.) then put back in the fridge after feeding and removing the amount you need to remove for your dish.

"make your sponge" - ??? Oh boy, do I have a lot to learn! What do you mean by make your sponge? I hope I'm not in over my head with this - I really want to start making stuff with the sourdough starter, but have no idea what making a sponge even means! Ugh. Perhaps I will have to read some articles about it so I at least have some idea how to bake with sourdough. I really want to do this!

 

[ronott1]

Well, of course I now have a cold... so, the sourdough is going to have to bear with me again since I don't have much energy to do anything after I get home from work and taking care of the animals... I have some in the freezer I can restart with if needed.

Pop it into the fridge

I hope you feel better soon!

 

[ronott1]

"make your sponge" - ??? Oh boy, do I have a lot to learn! What do you mean by make your sponge? I hope I'm not in over my head with this - I really want to start making stuff with the sourdough starter, but have no idea what making a sponge even means! Ugh. Perhaps I will have to read some articles about it so I at least have some idea how to bake with sourdough. I really want to do this!

sourdough is added to water and flour and then sets out covered overnight or about 10 hours--depends on the recipe.
It is simple but needs to be done the night before usually. It is a yeast culture similar to what is used to make baguettes--except that one is made from commercial yeast usually

 

[pennyJo1960]

sourdough is added to water and flour and then sets out covered overnight or about 10 hours--depends on the recipe.
It is simple but needs to be done the night before usually. It is a yeast culture similar to what is used to make baguettes--except that one is made from commercial yeast usually

intend to get mine out to do some tomorrow

 

[ronott1]

I think it is time for sourdough pancakes!

I will work on some for tomorrow morning

 

[Kusanar]

"make your sponge" - ??? Oh boy, do I have a lot to learn! What do you mean by make your sponge? I hope I'm not in over my head with this - I really want to start making stuff with the sourdough starter, but have no idea what making a sponge even means! Ugh. Perhaps I will have to read some articles about it so I at least have some idea how to bake with sourdough. I really want to do this!

Lol, sorry, that one threw my husband for a loop too. Ron already answered, but, basically a "sponge" is just a supercharged sourdough starter that you use to make your bread. You feed the starter, then when it is fed and happy, you remove some starter (seems to usually be around a cup depending on recipe), add some flour and water (amounts depend on recipe) and then you leave it out all night (or sometimes put it in the fridge) before adding the rest of the stuff you need for the bread (flour, salt, and sugar if the recipe calls for it). Not HARD, just weird terminology. But, seeing how the sponge is fluffy and full of holes, it kind of LOOKS like a sponge when it's ready.

 

[pennyJo1960]

funny but most that is dinner here but think might work have pork out for tonight my right arm James request if I could find pork in the freezer he would grill it

 

[Kusanar]

Pop it into the fridge

I hope you feel better soon!

Will do. Oh, the starter actually fluffed up and kind of "climbed the walls" of the jar this last time I fed it (per your directions )