So my sourdough debacle has come to an end! I broke down and ordered seed culture from King Arthur Flour. Why? Because I’m lazy. Seriously, one of the things to note about seed culture is that the wild yeast present in that particular culture is that of the place it was started. Many have purchased starter from San Francisco and nursed it along only to find out that they can’t get the same flavor after a while. That’s because all wild yeast starters will pick up the wild yeast of its surroundings to regenerate. Therefore, after a few feedings, your sourdough is unique to your area.
I was surprised how vigorous wild yeast can be when fed properly. The Basic Sourdough recipe uses only wild yeast to leaven the bread (not spiked with commercial yeast). The dough is silky and firm with a pleasant sour odor. The fermenting and proofing cycles take time (about 6 hrs) but they are well worth the patience. You may be able to shorten these times if your oven has a Proof setting like mine does (thank God!).
This bread keeps very well and makes an incredible toast. Leftovers can be turned into croutons or sourdough bread crumbs. Waste not, want not!
