Bread Shapes & Techniques

Same-Day Sourdough vs Overnight: I Made Both Every Weekend for 2 Months and Have Opinions

· February 13, 2026
Same-Day Sourdough vs Overnight: I Made Both Every Weekend for 2 Months and Have Opinions

Ever catch yourself wondering whether the overnight cold-proof method really lives up to its reputation, or whether same-day sourdough deserves way more respect than it gets? Here’s my blunt answer after eight straight weekends of testing both: it’s complicated, and week three nearly talked me into quitting for good. Sunday, mismatched socks on, coffee still … Read more

Steam Methods for Sourdough: Dutch Oven vs Combo Cooker vs Lava Rocks — My Honest Verdict

· February 11, 2026
Steam Methods for Sourdough: Dutch Oven vs Combo Cooker vs Lava Rocks — My Honest Verdict

Three separate smoke alarm shrieks tore through my apartment before I’d even poured my coffee, and there I stood, dish towel in hand, swatting frantically at a haze gathering near the ceiling — and somehow that chaotic morning ended with the single best sourdough loaf I’d managed up to that point. That accidental triumph was … Read more

Cold Proof vs Room Temperature Proof: I Did 12 Side-by-Side Bakes to Find Out Which Is Better

· February 10, 2026
Cold Proof vs Room Temperature Proof: I Did 12 Side-by-Side Bakes to Find Out Which Is Better

Half the sourdough advice floating around tells you cold proofing overnight is the only responsible way to build flavor and get clean scores. The other half swears room temperature is the real secret to an open, glassy crumb. One of those camps is dead wrong, or at least missing half the story — and I … Read more

How to Shape a Sourdough Batard: The Step-by-Step Guide I Wish I’d Had 3 Years Ago

· February 9, 2026
How to Shape a Sourdough Batard: The Step-by-Step Guide I Wish I'd Had 3 Years Ago

A dry, bitter cold front rolled through my kitchen three years back, right around the six-month mark of my sourdough journey, and it exposed exactly how little I actually understood about shaping. I lifted what should have been a tidy batard out of its proofing basket and watched it ooze sideways into something closer to … Read more