Sourdough

Last year at this time I was activating a dehydrated San Fransisco sourdough starter. I wrote about it and kombucha on my other blog- Salt + Vinegar- Cultures.

It's a year later and my sourdough making is still going strong. What was once a tedious and sometimes arduous task has become a rewarding stress reliever.

Since I've started making sourdough we've moved from an apartment to a house. Our apartment was particularly warm- especially in the summer- and my starter would proof quickly. It suffered in the winter, however, and I found myself with small loaves despite thorough kneading. Once we moved to a house my sourdough consistency changed again and I realized I needed to actually think about my sourdough and handle it with more knowledge.

So here is how I handle it:
I always keep a jar of it in the fridge- when I am making bread I take 1/4 cup to feed for  bread and another 1/4 cup to feed and put back in the fridge. Anything leftover I put in my compost.
I leave my fridge starter out until it doubles in size then I put it right back into the fridge. The thing I've realized about having starter that's always in the fridge is that it takes longer to proof after feeding and more time to activate the gluten when kneading. Ideally I would feed my fridge starter at least twice a week. I don't but I should.
If you keep your starter in the fridge you have to feed it three times before you use it to make bread. I've started leaving my sourdough to proof for 12+ hours before I feed it again. In my apartment during the summer it would proof in four hours and in the winter about the same. In this cold house, well, it takes a while. Since my starter doesn't proof quickly I just let it do its thing and get to it when I will. I probably let it proof longer than I should but it makes a supple dough that's easy to knead. I also suspect it helps cut down my kneading time.
After my third feeding I keep my eye on it and when it has more than doubled I make my bread. This can take more than four hours. The instructions say you need to use it between 3-4 hours after feeding it to so the starter is active. Sometimes it takes three hours for it to get started growing so wait until I see rapid growth in a short time.

In the Cultures For Health video on How to Make Sourdough she said that it takes about 20 minutes of kneading to fully activate the gluten (Find it here- Cultures for Health- How to Make Sourdough).
When I first started making sourdough it took me between 45 minutes to an hour to get it. I would have to gear myself up for it because it was not how I wanted to spend an hour.
Now it takes me 20 minutes or less. I think it's for the following reasons:
- My starter is moist and I'm careful with how much water I add to the bread recipe: I get my dough just dry enough so that it doesn't stick to my hands while I'm kneading. Once I add all the flour the recipe calls for I don't need any more flour (not even on my kneading board).
- Longer proofing time makes my dough easier to handle (in my experience)
- I take all my pent up aggression out on that poor piece of dough

The lovely thing about our house is we have a wood burning stove in the basement. My husband would keep a fire going through the night during the colder months. I would place my dough a safe distance from the stove and leave it overnight to rise. It rose beautifully and was ever so fluffy.
We don't have fires through the night now but my bread is still rising nicely (if not as high).

As with everything, getting to know what you're working with helps you get the most out of it.

The best thing about making your own sourdough is buttering it when it's still hot from the oven. My son and I eat half a loaf for breakfast when I make it. It's the only time I'll go without protein in the morning.

It's a small thing but it makes life good.

My Husband was a Chef

My husband worked in kitchens for over 20 years and he was a chef for a good number of those years. He finally got out of it at the end of last summer because we both finally realized we'd never be the family we hope to be with him always at work covering for people, hosting a big event, or having to answer his phone every 20 minutes.
I've picked up a few things from him over the six years of our marriage. Everything listed below are things I didn't know until he taught me. I hope there are a few things that help you out.

Sanitation and health
1- Wipe down all surfaces at the end of the day- this doesn't just look good and help you feel better, it keeps you to 1-scrub week old crusties off your stovetop and  2-keep bugs from making your kitchen their home. This includes around and in your sink by the way.
2- Change dishcloths EVERYDAY- my husband is so particular about this he will get out a new one if doesn't know for sure its been changed that day.
3- Any cloth used to wash a dish or utensil that has been in contact with raw meat (especially chicken) should go straight into the laundry basket- don't wipe down anything with it! Raw chicken is deadly, don't leave anything to chance!
4- Don't cover hot food unless necessary- bacteria grows in those warm, steamy situations. Put in in the fridge uncovered and cover it when it's cool
5- A fizzing sound (like when you open a can of pop) or little bubbles indicate the item has gone bad- this really applies to things like salsa, ketchup, mustard- things that can stay in the fridge for a long time and are generally kept in bottles or jars.
6- Never put a cutting board away damp- you run the risk of botulism

7- Always use a fan when frying- this helps prevent grease build up

Cooking
1- All you really need is salt and pepper- Complicated flavours and spices are great but it's also just as good to let the food speak for itself by just adding salt and pepper. Steak seasonings are great but you can enjoy it just as much with plain old salt and pepper.
2- Potatoes absorb salt- if you over salt a dish that has potatoes in it, just let it be and the potatoes will absorb the salt.
3- A teaspoon of sugar offsets the acidity in any tomato dish (depending on amount you're making, start with a tiny amount (1/4 tsp) and slowly work up from there- be careful!)
4- Pour olive oil into water you're boiling for pasta- this keeps the pasta from sticking together
5- When making a roux, fry the flour and butter for a minute or two to keep your dish from tasting like flour. I add my cream just as the flour and butter are beginning to turn brown
6- Don't use milk when you have cream in the house (like in mashed potatoes, scalloped potatoes, biscuits, and so on). If you want something creamy- make it creamy!
7- Work dough as little as possible unless otherwise instructed by the recipe
8- Always choose bone-in- it's the most flavourful

9- Allow your roast to rest for half an hour- the meat will absorb the juices and will be nice and moist.

10- If your food is sticking to your non-stick pan, your oil is not hot enough- make sure your oil (or butter) is nice and hot before starting to cook

Equipment
1- Place a damp cloth under your cutting board to keep it in place

2- Take care of the motor in your standing mixer by using the paddle attachment and mixing heavier things on slower speeds- for example: only use the whisk attachment to make whip cream/meringue or anything light
3- Make sure your toaster is out in the open when using- it's a small fire hazard if anything should go wrong
4- Clean out your dishwasher regularly- it's more efficient and your dishes are cleaner
5- Purchase a kitchen thermometer and use it- it's a good way to see if something is done without cutting in to it and if you have any doubt on whether or not something is safe to eat, it will ease your mind

6- Those round knife files we all have in our knife racks are only there to 'maintain' knives, they don't keep our knives sharp- get a professional to sharpen your knives once in a while

Grocery Shopping
1- Always go with the bigger size- you get the best value
2- Steelhead salmon are actually trout
3- Never buy farmed salmon- it's not worth it and it's not good for you
4- You can get kitchen supplies for a better deal at restaurant supply stores

Okay so that's all I can think of and I'm sure I'll think of more and update this.