- Aug 4, 2011
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I've really been into the whole self sufficiency thing lately, in my modest way. I've been baking bread for my family more (we don't rely entirely upon home baked bread, but it probably represents 1/3-1/2 of the bread we do eat). I've been canning and making jam, focusing on items that are readily available to me, and to facilitate a move away from fast foods, prepared foods, and commercially processed foods. It isn't like a big momentous decision I made one day or anything...we do eat fast food and store bought bread and processed foods...but I'm trying to keep from eating nothing BUT fast/processed/prepared foods.
I'm going to make wine but I have no plans regarding THAT. I just want to see how it goes; if it's easy and it is palatable, even as an old-fashioned "tonic" then that's okay..or it might lead to making some awesome vinegar..my point is I'm not committed to wine making like I am to the food processing thing.
My mother had sourdough starter that she kept, at different times of the year, either out on the counter in a big earthenware mixing bowl and covered with a towel, or in the fridge in a mason jar...for waffles and pancakes, she'd use that as her base and she made AMAZING waffles and pancakes. She never used it much for bread; when she made bread she made standard white bread and it was lovely; her biscuits were also non-sourdough, and divine.
But I'm fascinated by the concept of sourdough for bread. Yeast costs money, and I find myself wondering "what if I didn't have access to store-bought yeast?" Subsequently, I decided to try creating a sourdough starter of my own.
Sourdough captures yeast from tne environment, and the yeast produces the rise for your doughs...you don't need to add any yeast.
Different sourdough from different environments tastes different. San Francisco is world famous for their sourdough, and it's because the wild yeast that flourishes there is appealing to many people.
I started mine in my microwave, which is situated above my stove. We are in and out of the microwave a dozen times a day..and the environment is a little warm, a little moist. We live on the coast, and our house is located in the midst of the dunes. A tidal river is about 1/2 mile away, if that far. We are surrounded by a vast assortment of plant life...pine and fir, scotch broom, blackberry, huckleberry, salal. Moss, lol...even cedar here and there.
So I started it in the microwave, and I think it is going to be incredible. I used a little to make a couple of pancakes today, just to taste it...and it's definitely awesome. I need to hit on a perfect pancake recipe, because I literally just added some flour and a little milk and then cooked them..and they were good, but I think next time I will add salt, milk and some rendered bacon fat as well.
I'm going to make some bread; perhaps tonight, maybe not until this weekend. It takes it much longer to rise, I guess. I don't know.
If it turns out like I expect it to, I'm going to eventually sell it at the farmer's markets around here that run all week.
At least that's my plan today.
Tomorrow, I may decide I'm going to be an astronaut.
I'm going to make wine but I have no plans regarding THAT. I just want to see how it goes; if it's easy and it is palatable, even as an old-fashioned "tonic" then that's okay..or it might lead to making some awesome vinegar..my point is I'm not committed to wine making like I am to the food processing thing.
My mother had sourdough starter that she kept, at different times of the year, either out on the counter in a big earthenware mixing bowl and covered with a towel, or in the fridge in a mason jar...for waffles and pancakes, she'd use that as her base and she made AMAZING waffles and pancakes. She never used it much for bread; when she made bread she made standard white bread and it was lovely; her biscuits were also non-sourdough, and divine.
But I'm fascinated by the concept of sourdough for bread. Yeast costs money, and I find myself wondering "what if I didn't have access to store-bought yeast?" Subsequently, I decided to try creating a sourdough starter of my own.
Sourdough captures yeast from tne environment, and the yeast produces the rise for your doughs...you don't need to add any yeast.
Different sourdough from different environments tastes different. San Francisco is world famous for their sourdough, and it's because the wild yeast that flourishes there is appealing to many people.
I started mine in my microwave, which is situated above my stove. We are in and out of the microwave a dozen times a day..and the environment is a little warm, a little moist. We live on the coast, and our house is located in the midst of the dunes. A tidal river is about 1/2 mile away, if that far. We are surrounded by a vast assortment of plant life...pine and fir, scotch broom, blackberry, huckleberry, salal. Moss, lol...even cedar here and there.
So I started it in the microwave, and I think it is going to be incredible. I used a little to make a couple of pancakes today, just to taste it...and it's definitely awesome. I need to hit on a perfect pancake recipe, because I literally just added some flour and a little milk and then cooked them..and they were good, but I think next time I will add salt, milk and some rendered bacon fat as well.
I'm going to make some bread; perhaps tonight, maybe not until this weekend. It takes it much longer to rise, I guess. I don't know.
If it turns out like I expect it to, I'm going to eventually sell it at the farmer's markets around here that run all week.
At least that's my plan today.
Tomorrow, I may decide I'm going to be an astronaut.
