Seeded Sourdough Batard: How I Made the Most Satisfying Loaf of My Baking Life

Seeded Sourdough Batard: How I Made the Most Satisfying Loaf of My Baking Life

I want to tell you about the day I accidentally dropped my entire proofed loaf on the kitchen floor, scooped it back into the banneton, and somehow ended up baking the best seeded sourdough batard recipe I have ever made in my life. Yes, really. Stay with me here. It was a Sunday morning. I … Read more

Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Loaf: The Recipe My Neighbor Keeps Knocking on My Door For

Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Loaf: The Recipe My Neighbor Keeps Knocking on My Door For

It was 7 a.m. on a Saturday when my neighbor Linda rang my doorbell holding an empty bread bag and what I can only describe as desperate eyes. I had given her a loaf of my sourdough cinnamon raisin bread three days earlier as a “sorry my dog dug up your tulips” peace offering, and … Read more

50/50 Whole Wheat Sourdough: The Everyday Loaf I Actually Keep Coming Back To

50/50 Whole Wheat Sourdough: The Everyday Loaf I Actually Keep Coming Back To

I want to tell you about the time I confidently handed my neighbor a loaf of bread and watched her take one polite bite before quietly feeding the rest to her dog. The loaf in question was my fourth attempt at a 100% whole wheat sourdough, and it had the texture of a slightly damp … Read more

100% Whole Wheat Sourdough: How to Stop It From Being Basically a Brick

100% Whole Wheat Sourdough: How to Stop It From Being Basically a Brick

I still remember staring at what was supposed to be a beautiful, rustic loaf sitting on my cooling rack and thinking, “I could use this thing as a doorstop.” It was dense, gummy in the middle, and about two inches tall. I had spent three days nursing my starter, carefully measured every gram, followed a … Read more

Sourdough Sandwich Loaf: Soft, Sliceable, and Actually Better Than Store-Bought

Sourdough Sandwich Loaf: Soft, Sliceable, and Actually Better Than Store-Bought

I want to tell you about the morning I proudly sliced into what I was absolutely certain was my best loaf yet, only to watch the entire thing collapse sideways like a soggy accordion. My husband was standing right there. He tried so hard not to laugh. He failed. That disaster was actually what led … Read more

High-Hydration Sourdough: Getting That Open, Lacey Crumb at Home (Without a Professional Oven)

High-Hydration Sourdough: Getting That Open, Lacey Crumb at Home (Without a Professional Oven)

I still remember standing at my kitchen counter at 7 a.m. on a Saturday, staring into my Dutch oven like I had personally offended it. I had stayed up late the night before, carefully shaped what I was convinced would finally be my best loaf ever. I had a strong starter, good flour, perfect timing. … Read more

Classic White Sourdough Boule: The Recipe I’ve Made 200 Times and Still Love

Classic White Sourdough Boule: The Recipe I've Made 200 Times and Still Love

I want to tell you about the time I confidently handed my neighbor a loaf of what I called my “best sourdough yet” — only to watch her slice into it and find a raw, gummy, completely unbaked center. She was very polite about it. I was not very calm about it. That loaf went … Read more

Malted Barley Flour in Sourdough: The Secret Ingredient That Changes Everything About Your Crust

Malted Barley Flour in Sourdough: The Secret Ingredient That Changes Everything About Your Crust

I want to tell you about the time I accidentally made the most beautiful loaf of my entire baking life while trying to hide evidence of a mistake from my husband. It started with a mislabeled bag, a moment of panic, and a desperate Google search at 11pm. And somewhere in the middle of that … Read more

Does Water Quality Actually Affect Sourdough? I Ran a 6-Week Filtered vs Tap Test

Does Water Quality Actually Affect Sourdough? I Ran a 6-Week Filtered vs Tap Test

I want to tell you about the morning I stood in my kitchen, staring at two sourdough loaves like a disappointed parent at a science fair, wondering why on earth I had just spent six weeks obsessively testing water quality sourdough filtered vs tap when both loaves looked… completely fine. Not revelatory. Not catastrophic. Just … Read more

High-Extraction Flour for Sourdough: What It Is, Why Serious Bakers Love It, and Where to Find It

High-Extraction Flour for Sourdough: What It Is, Why Serious Bakers Love It, and Where to Find It

I want to tell you about the time I confidently ordered what I thought was “fancy bread flour” online, proceeded to bake four increasingly dense and confusing loaves over two weekends, and only realized my mistake when my neighbor — who was just being polite about the bread, bless her — asked why my sourdough … Read more