The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Hello from Ontario

headdown's picture
headdown

Hello from Ontario

Hi everyone,

I'm a new member that has caught the bread fever, and I enjoy the knowledge this site brings to new bakers.  

A few years ago, I managed with great difficulty to get a sourdough starter going, only to find out that I really didn't like sour bread.  I let the starter die, and went back to yeasted bread.  I recently retired, and just spent my first winter living in my RV in the US southwest, doing astrophotography.  While in southern California a few months ago, I made another attempt at a sourdough starter, only to once again confirm that I do not like sour bread.  Before tossing the starter, I came across the info that the sourness could be controlled or even eliminated.  I was intrigued, and I eventually bought Tartine Bread by Chad Robertson, and it has changed the way I make bread forever.  I mostly follow his Country Bread formula, but add a sesame seed crust and toasted sesame seeds in the dough as well.  I also add 10% spelt flour for the nutty flavour.  There is no sour flavour.  Here is a pic of today's loaves.

Dean

Lechem's picture
Lechem (not verified)

Welcome. What lovely loaves. And indeed! sourdough bread does not have to be sour. In fact many forum discussions are questions about how to bring out the sour in the bread of those who are searching for it but their starters aren't very tangy. It's all about how one maintains and uses a starter.

Have you tried Forkish's sweet levain bread? Think it's based on Chad's ideas too. It's really very nice.

Floydm's picture
Floydm

Those are lovely loaves. Welcome to the site!

gwschenk's picture
gwschenk

That's great looking bread. Welcome to the site. There are some really smart and experienced people here.

syros's picture
syros

Nice looking loaves, Dean. Isn't baking sourdough the best? Give us a crumb shot! I'm new to this as well and it's highly addictive. You'll get great support here and lots of advice. 

Sharon

headdown's picture
headdown

Thanks everyone for the kind words!

Yes Sharon, naturally leavened bread has for me opened a number of ways to influence the taste and texture of my bread that I was unaware even existed.  And Lechem, I have not tried Forkish's bread, but I will check that out.  I have tried Chad's sweet leaven technique and loved the results.  And here is a crumb shot.  I forgot to take one last night.

Dean

Elsie_iu's picture
Elsie_iu

The crumb looks really nice and open, and it developed a beautiful crust as well!

I'm glad you've figured out a way to incorporate sourdough into your bread which suits your taste. Happy baking!

headdown's picture
headdown

My biggest problem now is my freezer in the RV fills fast, as I bake bread faster than I can eat it.  I am finally after several months of about 6 loaves a week getting close to what I was looking for in my bread, so the frantic pace of experimentation should soon slow down.  It has been a very satisfying journey, and I have come to love baking bread in a way that is much closer to how it was done for thousands of years than today's methods.

Dean