SOURDOUGH BREAD STRUGGLE

I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO MAKE SOURDOUGH BREAD ONCE BEFORE. IT DIDN’T RISE BUT IT WAS DELICIOUS .

THIS PAST SUMMER I RECEIVED A SUPER THOUGHTFUL GIFT FROM OUR SON AND HIS WIFE IN VANCOUVER : A BRAND NEW DUTCH OVEN! (I WAS SOON INFORMED THAT I ALREADY OWNED ONE ….I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST AN OLD, HEAVY POT..HA!) BUT I WAS EXCITED BECAUSE NOW I COULD MAKE TWO LOAVES AT ONCE.

LIFE GOT IN THE WAY OF BAKING BREAD FOR AWHILE (NO-BREAD DIETS, ETC.) BUT FINALLY I DECIDED THE TIME WAS RIGHT TO TRY AGAIN. MY DAUGHTER RE-ACTIVATED HER ‘STARTER’, SHARED SOME WITH ME, AND GOT ME STARTED ON ‘FEEDING’ THIS THING FOR A WEEK.

SHE SAID TO FEED IT WHEN IT TRIPLED IN SIZE AND IT DIDN’T REALLY DO THAT. SO I FED IT WHEN IT DOUBLED IN SIZE.

YESTERDAY, EMILY ACTUALLY CAME OVER AND GUIDED ME THOUGH THE ENTIRE GETTING READY TO BAKE PROCESS AND I STARTED THIS AT 8 AM. SHE ARRIVED AT 1 PM AND WE FINALLY FINISHED PREPPING TO BAKE AT ABOUT 7:30 PM. WHAT A LONG DAY OF WORKING ON THESE 2 LOAVES BUT WE HAD FUN TOGETHER AND CONTINUED TO WORK ON OUR PAINTINGS IN BETWEEN TIMES.

THIS MORNING I WOKE UP, PREPPED THE OVEN FOR AN HOUR, AND THEN COOKED AS PER INSTRUCTIONS UNTIL 11 A.M..

ALTHOUGH THE BREADS LOOK NICE : THEY DID NOT RISE AGAIN ! UGH! I’M JINXED.

EMILY SAYS WE WILL TRY AGAIN SOON . IN THE MEANTIME I WILL ENJOY THESE DENSE BREADS WITH SOUPS OR STEWS.

I REALLY WANT TO FIGURE THIS OUT!