Hello from Ontario!
Hi everyone,
Long time lurker, first time poster.
My mom was an avid bread baker as I was growing up. Every weekend, she'd make a loaf of buttermilk bread. She stopped following a recipe a while after I was born, and did everything by 'feel.' She would let it go for a while, and then "punch it down" when it got too big. I now understand her processes and how it affected the final taste and texture of the bread.
As I got older, she got into making challah and other types of sweet, fat-based breads. I never had any interest in what she was doing because it looked too complicated. Then, I moved out and tried some 'overnight no-knead breads' which were okay, but not great. Things started rolling when I got a KitchenAid professional mixer, and then took off when I bought Flour Water Salt Yeast last October-- and then withstood the learning curve. So much for mom's challah looking complicated. My favourite breads to make are from the pre-ferment recipes. I bring the bread to friends, family, and people at social functions who give it rave reviews. I'm so glad I found this hobby.
My question to you is, where do I go from here? Are levain breads difficult to master, or is the process very similar? Can you suggest any books that would be great to have as a companion to FWSY?
We're glad to have you join in!
You've got enough background, skills and confidence to share them with eager and appreciative fans - isn't that grand? And you're wondering if natural levains will suit your style... oh, yes. Come on in and we suspect you'll love it!
I'll let others chime in with their favorite books, but first things first, you'll need a starter, from a friend or start your own. Probably the most often cited method on here is the Pineapple Juice method. Type that into the search window and loads of entries and discussions will come up. And while your starter is getting up to speed, you'll have plenty of time to select a recipe for your first effort.
And for sure, keep in touch here as you make progress (flops are good learning tools, too). Wishing you the best!
Cathy
Fellow Ontarian here. Not nearly as experienced as various other posters here since I've only been at it since last fall. I'd say the question of where to go next depends on what types of breads you enjoy baking and eating. Quite a few people get into SD, myself included, but IMO, it's not for everyone. You might decide, for example, that the difference in taste isn't worth the additional time and effort.
As for books, rather than recommend anything specific, if there's a public library where you live, I suggest you see what's there.
Hi
I am from Ontario too! In terms of 100% sourdough, it's a lot of trial and error. Try first to create an active starter. Make sure you use good water and Hard red spring wheat flour. Most of the flour is from western Canada which is fine. In terms of water, I found that my water in Ontario had too much chlorine which killed starter before it could even get going. To get rid of chlorine, leave the water in a big bowl at room temperature for at least 24 hours. I always boil mine to be safe. Once you get an active starter yo can start your trial and error process!
MJ Sourdough
Scarborough in the GTA here.
Sourdough is no harder than using commercial dry active or instant yeast. Not everything necessarily has to be sourdough either. Lots of times I still use commercial yeast for many breads, pizza dough and buns.
I do think that using sourdough does make you think a lot more about bread generally, and the requirements (well, wisdom then) of feeding it night before using tends to be the only real impact. Mind you, as you move towards thinking about a sponge, other preferment and feeding a starter night before using, much of the spontaneity of baking can be dialed down. It's not that big as deal though and you can and should continue to use commercial yeast wherever and whenever you feel like it, too.
I have baked off and on for many years, but not as consistently as I have been of late. Like you, recently I've been sparked by FWSY. I decided to bake every bread in the book and am just getting into levains in that chapter of his book. The book, Forkish rather, isn't universally loved by all on the board - which is all fine. But I do think it's a good book for the journey you (and I) are on.
Developing the levain just this past week has forced me to learn more about making bread than anything else I've done to date, over the last two decades of 'going at it'. So my recommendation is to 'bake the book'. But if you decide to start your own levain, don't follow his guidelines on volume. He is much too wasteful of flour. Take a look at the blog I set up to document what I'm doing. The last post about "charlie" walks through my experience with developing my levain and making my first (not so sour - which is my preference) sour dough.
https://flourwatersaltyeast.wordpress.com/
Enjoy the journey! bread1965
I have indeed noticed that Forkish is not universally loved on this board-- especially his levain doughs. I have followed your blog on wordpress as well! Thanks for the lovely comments.
I have been altering between his 80% biga and his white bread with poolish recipe. I've also started using my KA pro for the initial mixing of water and flour or water, flour, and yeast. It makes an incredibly different bread. I've had great success with those two recipes, but I do think it's time I ventured outside of this comfortable box I've created for myself.
I noticed that Bulk Barn sells white flour with 12% protein, and Food Basics apparently does, too! Once my bag is gone, I'm going to start exploring flours a little more carefully. I currently have the Olympus brand by Dover. It's 14% protein, which I would have loved to have known before committing to such a large bag.
ETA: Have you had much success with the oven 475 or higher? I typically do all mine at 425 with a 5/5/20/20 (rotations) which usually lands me right around 200 degree bread. I found that 475 (or even 450) would make my bread ridiculously burnt. I'm not so sure I agree that the blackish crust colour is a good thing.