I know sourdough may seem really scary, but it is really quite simple when you get the hang of it! The only advice I have is to treat it like a pet and FEED IT. Simple as that!

What you need

• Bread flour (I highly recommend a bread flour as it is much stronger than regular flour and, in my opinion, creates a better starter. My favorite is King Arthur’s)

• Mason or Weck jar (really any jar but these are cute since they will live on your counter)

• Scale

• Spatula

• Marker

Starting from scratch

Day 1:

1. Place your jar of choice on the scale and make sure to level it out at 0.

2. Put 50 grams of bread flour into the jar.

3. Then level out your scale to 0 and put 50 grams of warm water in.

4. With your spatula mix until combined.

5. Put the lid on the jar (if using a mason jar just place the lid on without the seal as we want to let a bit of air enter the jar) and place in a warm spot in your kitchen.

Day 2 - 4:

1. Place your jar on the scale and add 50 grams of bread flour and 50 grams of water.

2. Mix to combine making sure to give it as much air as possible.

3. Set back into its little home in your kitchen.

Day 5:

Now your starter should have a little life! Maybe you will see some bubbles at the top or some light action. This means the yeast is eating, YAY!

1. Place your jar on the scale and remove 50 grams of starter.

2. Then add 50 grams of bread flour and 50 grams of water.

3. Mix to combine making sure to give it as much air as possible.

4. Set back into its little home in your kitchen.

Day 6 - 14:

Now you may start to get annoyed thinking “when can I make my sourdough?!”. Well young grasshopper, patience! Your starter is new, like a baby, and needs lots of food and love before it is mature enough to give you a great sourdough loaf. Now 7 days may be good enough for you, however, I strongly suggest waiting until day 14 OR until your starter is doubling in size (at the 8-hour mark) after every feeding.

1. Place your jar on the scale and remove 50 grams of starter.

2. Then add 50 grams of bread flour and 50 grams of water.

3. Mix to combine making sure to give it as much air as possible.

4. Mark on the side of the jar where the starter is so you can track its growth.

5. Set back into its little home in your kitchen.

Day 14:

Check to see if you are starter is ready to bake. You can tell it is ready by:

1. It is doubling in size after every feeding.

2. Lots of activity in the jar and smells great.

• All sourdoughs will smell different. One of mine smells a bit like nail polish and the other smells of tart apples. It is AWESOME!

Notes:

• Now if your starter is a boss! You MIGHT need to feed it twice a day. I will note that I do because my starter is POWERFUL. But I also bake at least 3 times a week so none of my starter goes to waste.

• Put your sourdough discard (after day 14) into a separate container and put in the fridge for discard recipes.

• For the first 14 days of your starters life I would say just throw the starter discard away as it won’t really do much for any sourdough discard recipes, however, you can do as you please!

Starting from a friend’s starter or a dehydrated starter

Follow the above directions but on step 1 add your gifted starter to it!

My starter is mature and ready for baking, what now?

Now you are getting consistent starter after every daily feed? GREAT! Now it is mature and ready to be used in your breads.

That said there are two types of starter people. Ones who have their starter live on the counter for grab anytime baking and ones who give their starter a colder home, in the fridge, and whip it out 8 - 12 hours before a bake.

Personally, I keep mine on the counter. BUT that is just because I bake so often that putting in the fridge for me is more of a hassle. I would say if you are planning to bake at least 3 times a week keep it on the counter. If you are a once a week or more baker put that starter in the fridge and feed it once a week or 8 - 12 hours before a bake.

How to remove a starter from the fridge to feed it?

1. Remove your starter from the fridge.

2. Place on a scale and feed it 50 grams of bread flour and 50 grams of water.

3. Leave in a warm place in your kitchen and let the starter warm up and eat.

4. After 8 - 12 hours use in your bake OR put back in the fridge for a little nap until its next feeding or bake!