The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Good morning from North San Diego County

Brian D's picture
Brian D

Good morning from North San Diego County

I stumbled upon this site while trying to find answers why my starter is not starting and why my bread is not tasting. So far I like what I have read here. So I decided why not sign on and join the club.

I've been trying to bake bread for 5 years now with not so great results. My results were what I call, nominal. No real sour taste, no real good looking crumb, but great looking crust. I must have visited many web sites, purchased many starters, all to the tune of the same results. So I am obviously doing something wrong. I just fed my starter this morning with the 1:2:2 formula I read. I will see how it turns out.

Lots of good info on this site. I like the format and I like the way information is freely exchanged. On one site, I was told that my baking technique was not good but no one explained how it was “not good”. I read one thread by Bill and in one sitting, I understood what I was not doing correctly. So I am revising my methods. Hope it revises my starter(s).

Thanks for listening and I hope that one day I too will be able to ask “my starter is too sour, how do I sweeten it up?”. q(^_^)p

Brian Donaldson - Oceanside, Ca.

 

Janedo's picture
Janedo

I'm fairly new here, too and you're right, there's lots of great advice and sharing. Welcome on board,

Jane 

Wild-Yeast's picture
Wild-Yeast

I'm new to the site also. I found Daniel Leader's and Perer Rineharts books to be helpful in understanding sourdough. This site has the right type of information helpful to the home bread baker especially those interested in sourdough. You'll find the inhabitants very helpful and courteous...,

Welcome Aboard!

Wild-Yeast

Rosalie's picture
Rosalie

Your head's going to be swimming in sourdough information.

Rosalie

Brian D's picture
Brian D

Problem I had by going to different sites all the time was the "too many cooks" syndrome. I don't see that here. So far from what I've read, it has been "share", not "this is the only way to do this" attitude. That, I can live with. Thanks for the "welcomes".

 Brian D., Oceanside, Ca.

bshuval's picture
bshuval

Welcome from San Diego!

I hope you will join us for our bread meetings! (We have a pretty healthy bread making community here) 

 

My bread blog: http://grainpower.wordpress.com

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

SYLVIAH  Hello and welcome,

I have been baking bread for many years...just what I would call sandwich bread...Im learning a lot from this great site...my sourdough experiments have my kitchen looking like a lab.  I have my own mother sourdough, some from a site called breadtopia and I have just got my Carls free mailorder dried starter...after Mothers Day I plan on starting it up...

So far I don't really care for the really sour ones either...I have to agree with the French...I like a much milder taste.

Good Luck,

Sylvia in San Diego County

Brian D's picture
Brian D

I've tried 4 different starters from 4 different sites. The same results for all 4. The latest is from King Arthur and it too is dormant. The other was NorthWest and I can't remember the first two, one place from Texas and some guy named Ed. My problem right now is "no" sour taste at all. That is what I am working on by using some of the techniques found here.

LindyD's picture
LindyD

Brian, what water are you using? Tap? Bottled? Are you refreshing the starters regularly?

How old are they before you start using them?

 

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

SYLVIAH I had just the opposite problem.  One of mine was very sour....Iam certainly no authority...but I have read the longer you let it sit out before refrigerating it the more sour it becomes until it reaches the degree of sourness you like....then refrigerate it after each use and feeding.  I like a very sweet fresh smell more like buttermilk would smell and not to beerish smelling...different areas have all their own tastes...but I have read that eventually your starter will take over its own taste from the yeasties in your area growing in the starter.  So all will become one...like San Francisco has its own great taste.  There are lots of very experienced people here who will be able to give you plenty of advice.

Have Fun, Sylvia

Wild-Yeast's picture
Wild-Yeast

SylviaH's experience is similar to mine. If the starter is tending toward too sour a firmer starter and longer refrigeration will swing it around to sweeter and fresh fruit fragrance.

Sourdough requires constant care and adjustment in its conditions to preserve your "taste preferrence". One other item that you might check on is the flour. I noticed that since I started using orgainc whole wheat that I've not had any problems in proofing and the starter has stayed remarkably stable. I'm beginning to wonder if the sourdough culture is like the proverbial "canary in the coal mine" as regards a particular flours suitability for human consumption?...,

Wild-Yeast

Marni's picture
Marni

BrianD,

I'm also in Southern CA; we have vacationed many times in Oceanside and love it.

There are some serious sourdough experts here.  I'm sure you will find lots of useful information. 

Marni