wondering about sourdough results
this may seem more than a trifle silly, but here goes--I made what is my second loaf of true sourdough yesterday using a recipe of Hamelman's, with KA ap and a little strong whole wheat. Although it took forever to look 'ready', as in 2 or 3 hours longer at least than the recipe predicted, I baked up something that went in the oven a chubby pancake and came out a dark, round little hummock. Poorly shaped and burnt, but when I cut into it I found a rather lovely network of largish holes (and y'all are always goin' on about holes) throughout the slice- not so much as Ciabatta, but perhaps her little sister. It was chewy, pleasant-tasting, with a crust not at all crackly but very challenging to tooth and jaw. Either I'm finally getting a fingerhold on process or...I'm not, and I've made an interesting mistake. To the point: is sourdough expected to be holey and chewy? Kind of ridiculous but I don't buy bread, haven't for years, and can't bring myself to spend 3 or 4 dollars on somebody else's when I think how much flour that would buy, so I have no point of comparison. It's just SO different from my tender-crumbed sandwich breads.