baking bread
Every day I care for our sourdough starter, to the point that my husband calls it our third child. I now know why they are given a name. My starter is Mitchell, a descendant of Eugene. Mitchell is a part of our family.
As the winter temperatures have been falling, Mitchell has become more sensitive. No longer is it warm enough on the kitchen counter to get a natural rise. Part of having sourdough in your family is learning how to care for it. Based on the humidity of the home, room temperature, location near a drafty window, water temperatures; the health of my starter shifts. I must change. I need to keep tweaking my care, to create the best loaf.
Last week my son asked, “Isn’t it way more convenient to just make our own bread!?”
My husband laughed and I sighed… “Not quite.”
It is not less work, or more convenient- at all. A few days each week I prepare the levin, stretch, fold and roll our bread. The mixing of flour, salt and starter is a wonderful task I truly enjoy. I love the process, the problem solving, and knowing exactly what is in our food. Also, who doesn’t love warm, fresh bread?
I have my ratios down, which flours to purchase and the containers aligned. I have purchased the proper bread cloths, bannetons, jars, and bread lame. The tools are ready. But then, the real problem solving begins. Fall was one animal, but now it is winter. I have tried the oven, on top of the refrigerator, even a heating pad- now Mitchell gets to live in our bathroom on proofing day. Our bathroom happens to be the warmest room in the house, so Mitchell gains custody of the space.
Recently, I began to think of the starter truly as a person. How much care and energy I place in making sure all conditions are just right for growth. How I must change my actions to create the best outcomes.
Why do we not honor those changes within?
We need something different! Just because something worked REALLY well at one point in our life or even in a month, we have changed- because the conditions have altered. What may have been a model for success just a short time ago, is no longer accurate. The conditions that breed beautiful growth, fluffy morsels of delicious life; now leave a dense brick of congealed ingredients and that is better served on the ice rink as the hockey puck.
Our conditions are different.
Make the changes you need to rise, grow and create. Remember the littlest details can make all the difference in the world.
This week’s A Door Within”
Is my success model still accurate?
Have my conditions changed?
Am I caring for myself to yield the best growth?
What tweaks can I make to my living conditions?
♥ Ashley
