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Author Topic: Sourdough Bread  (Read 5539 times)

Offline Bob_Roller

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Sourdough Bread
« on: January 29, 2012, 11:03:41 AM »
Don't know if anyone here would be interested in making sourdough bead or not, but here goes .

I've been intrigued with sourdough bread since the first time I visited San Francisco in June, 1981 .

A high school friend on mine had lived there since 1974 and had a personal friend that owned and operated a small neighborhood bakery that specialized in sour dough breads .

I found a website in 2006, that sold various varieties of dry sourdough culture .

So I ordered a dry culture and a book on sourdough bread .


Tto make a long story short, I didn't follow through on keeping the sourdough culture alive due to my work schedule and it 'died', pretty much lost interest until this past November when I was on my yearly 5 week vacation .

One section or the book that I received with the culture has a section on starting your own culture from the local environment .

I put out a plastic food container with two cups of generic flour and two cups of water, mixed it up , placed a fine mesh screen over the top to keep out insects and the like and place it outside in a sheltered place where it can't get rained on and to keep it out of direct sun  .

It is recommended that you stir the mixture at least twice a day, to prevent a skin from forming on the mixture .

After about three weeks, I went out to stir the mixture, I had forgotten to stir it for about two days .

So a skin had formed on the top, I removed the skin and found there was foam under it .

I brought it inside, mixed this 'culture' with two cups of flour and two cups of water, in 12 hours, the mixture had overflowed the container it was in .

I've been using this 'culture' for two month now in everything from bread, pizza, biscuits, banana date bread, etc ......... .

If you want to try this yourself, not difficult at all, just a bit time consuming .  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D


« Last Edit: January 29, 2012, 11:57:05 AM by Bob_Roller »
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Offline montmil

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Re: Sourdough Bread
« Reply #1 on: January 29, 2012, 11:35:59 AM »
Are you using your new dishwasher for clean up? ::)

Monte
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Offline Lucky_Lou

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Re: Sourdough Bread
« Reply #2 on: January 29, 2012, 01:59:48 PM »
We occasionally make bread at our Wild West reenactments in dutch ovens, as these events are usually on for a few days  we cheat and use pre mixes, tastes pretty good though. There is something relaxing about making bread it truly is the staff of life.
Lou
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Melena

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Re: Sourdough Bread
« Reply #3 on: February 05, 2012, 10:31:58 PM »
Bob, that sounds sooooooo good!  Just the idea makes my mouth water.  Yummy!

I used to make bread all the time but have gotten out of the habit in the last few years.  I should do it again, and that sourdough sure sounds like a good way to start.  And since I'm up here in the SF Bay Area, maybe my sourdough will be similar to the famous San Francisco Sourdough.   ;D  Ha!  I'll be lucky to get it to live.  

But it takes 3 weeks to get going?  Hmmm.  Maybe I'll just make some good whole wheat bread first.    

Thanks for the inspiration!  I'm going to go pull out the ingredients tonight and maybe by tomorrow night I'll have some fresh bread.   ;)

Offline DeeG

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Re: Sourdough Bread
« Reply #4 on: February 06, 2012, 11:26:54 AM »
I love making bread.  

My current thing is to use ancient grains (kamut, emmer, farro, etc) and as little white flour as I can get away with.  

If you're a beginner at this stuff, "Breads of the La Brea Bakery" by Nancy Silverton, is a great place to start.  Has a lot of yummy recipes and how to get a starter going (she uses water, flour and grapes).  I've had my current starter for about 4 years now.


rye with onion and kamut berries:


Plain wheat spread with local honey and figs:


I think I put too many walnuts in here, but it sure was tasty




An afternoon in the kitchen (not including the work done the day before.... :-)  )


Dee G
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Offline Barry

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Re: Sourdough Bread
« Reply #5 on: February 06, 2012, 12:09:33 PM »
Having some Irish heritage I have a liking for soda bread which uses baking soda instead of yeast as the raising agent.
Barry Cheshire, England 79 R45

Offline Bengt_Phorqs

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Re: Sourdough Bread
« Reply #6 on: February 06, 2012, 12:17:59 PM »
A friend of mine from Alaska gave me a pint of sourdoug starter that dated to the Nome goldrush in '98.  That's as in 1898.  I kept it for several years but forgot about it for a few weeks a couple of years ago and it died.  Easy to get started again though.  Good stuff.
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Melena

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Re: Sourdough Bread
« Reply #7 on: February 06, 2012, 10:47:10 PM »
Well, I didn't get the bread done today.  I had other things come up, plus I had to get a few ingredients at the store.  Tomorrow looks better, just a few things to do.

But all these yummy breads are making me hungry.  Dee, those breads look wonderful.  After I get started again on some good ole plain whole wheat I'm going to try some of these other grains.  And I found a San Francisco Sourdough starter in the store today.  I'll get that once I've got a few loaves baked up and see if I'm ready to keep a starter alive.   ::)

This is why I love winter.  A good reason to heat up the kitchen.   ;D

Offline DeeG

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Re: Sourdough Bread
« Reply #8 on: February 08, 2012, 09:34:39 PM »
Melena,

When your starter is bubbling and ready to use, split it in two.  Keep adding to one so it creates enough to make the bread, and the other put in the fridge.

I keep a container with about 2 cups of starter in the fridge.  When I want to make bread, I have to start a couple days ahead.  I take the starter out, add some water and flour, and let it set over night and add a bit more in the morning. I keep doing that until I have enough for the recipe and have ~2 cups left to put back in the fridge.   Usually three or four days, unless I'm in a real hurry and I add to it four times a day instead of two.   My 'working' starters start out with white flour for 2 addings, and unless I'm doing straight white bread, then I switch to emmer or farro.  Its a lot like wheat, but much lighter.  

As long as you keep in the the fridge, it shouldn't go bad.  Yes, it might get to looking kinda ugly....mine currently has bit of brown 'crust' on it.  (I haven't made any bread in a couple of months).  You can always take it out, and toss in some water/flour and put it back in the fridge.

I try to keep mine the consistency of really thick pancake batter when its being stored.  

Yes, getting a starter going from scratch and making bread can be a drawn out chore, but it sure is good.  

I think perhaps I will bake up a couple loaves on my next 4 day weekend......   :)
Dee G
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Melena

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Re: Sourdough Bread
« Reply #9 on: February 09, 2012, 10:47:29 PM »
Thanks Dee!

That doesn't sound so hard.  Maybe I'll get it started this weekend.  

I'll do that and finish my taxes.  Ha ha ha ha ha!   ;D  

Offline Bob_Roller

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Re: Sourdough Bread
« Reply #10 on: February 10, 2012, 08:04:59 AM »
I don't know how much of a difference this makes, but in the book about sourdough that I have, it mentions that some sourdough cultures don't like chlorinated tap water .

You may want to put water in the microwave oven and boil it for a few minutes let it cool down, then mix the flour and water together .

At least, get yours going, then use regular tap water and see if it causes any problems .

Don't use expensive flour, I've been using store 'house' brand flour and get good results .

I've used flour made from 'ancient' grains, the most common I use is spelt, it's one of the wild grains that modern wheat was domesticated from and altered to meet our modern needs .

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Offline nhmaf

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Re: Sourdough Bread
« Reply #11 on: February 10, 2012, 05:27:49 PM »
We enjoy making bread, though lately it has just been making some sweet dessert type breads at Christmas time to give away, and also I use our bread machine quite a bit - I admit it doesn't have nearly the personal commitment or interaction as making your own sourdough, but it sure is handy (and tastes pretty good, even if not as good as handmade).

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Offline DeeG

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Re: Sourdough Bread
« Reply #12 on: February 10, 2012, 08:53:06 PM »
Quote
I don't know how much of a difference this makes, but in the book about sourdough that I have, it mentions that some sourdough cultures don't like chlorinated tap water .

You may want to put water in the microwave oven and boil it for a few minutes let it cool down, then mix the flour and water together .

At least, get yours going, then use regular tap water and see if it causes any problems .


Yeah, they do mention that. I forget about that because my water comes from 700' below my house.....no chlorine added.   :)
Dee G
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1978 R80 w/hack
1971 R75 (swb)

Melena

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Re: Sourdough Bread
« Reply #13 on: February 16, 2012, 05:23:27 PM »
"Big sigh"  I haven't had a chance to start the bread yet.  It seems like something is always coming up and I have to go somewhere.  But I didn't buy bread this week and I'm almost out.  So I have to make some now.   ;D

I'll keep that in mind about the water.  I've got a Brita filter and I believe that is supposed to filter out the chlorine.  I'll use that water.

Happy Bread Making!  Cheers!


Offline DeeG

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Re: Sourdough Bread
« Reply #14 on: February 18, 2012, 11:06:18 AM »
Starter is warmed up and bubbly nicely.  Will probably do the first part tonight and have fresh bread for dinner tomorrow.

yummy yummy!
Dee G
1978 R45/N ?
1978 R80 w/hack
1971 R75 (swb)