… a thing of beauty… a thing of love… from the moment I began to create the mother starter last week I felt something would go wrong… I didn’t know if it was lack of confidence because of the sad demise of Lucretia but something in my bones felt wrong… the process for reactivating the dried starter was something I had never done before… there was a lot more liquid than I was expecting… there wasn’t the bitter/sour smell that I would normally associate with a classic sourdough… and then I forgot to feed it on its third ever day of its new life… and then I went down to London for 3 days and totally forgot to put it in the fridge…
… so it is a miracle that what I baked today can only be described as the most perfectly perfect sourdough I ever did make… chewy… holey… just the right balance of sour and doughy… with a darkly crisp crust… heavenly…
The KitchenMaid says
That looks AMAZING! I am so happy for you – I'll have to send this link to Neville (the sourdough man), am sure he will be chuffed. Now, can you dry some and send it back?
little macaroon. says
Phwaaaar!
Janice says
Hope you filled those holes with something tasty! Well done, I made a sourdough in 1980 when I brough back a starter from San Fransisco, have never made one since, maybe I should.
At Anna's kitchen table says
Marvellously holey
Andrea the Kitchen Witch says
Truly it's a thing of magnificent beauty! Congratulations!
Sarah, Maison Cupcake says
I think I feel the same about sourdough as I do houseplants (and greenery in the garden!!) – that I love the results but I'm terrified of killing it before getting that far!
Fabulous bread! I may turn to sourdough yet!
Ruth Ellis says
That looks absolutely stunning – in fact I couldn't find the right superlative! It looks perfect. Hopefully one day one of my sourdough experiments will turn out that well!
Wally B says
That looks like my kind of bread.
Shu Han says
LOOK AT THOSE HOLES! that's a beautiful loaf which can only come from a (don't let my starter hear) perfect sourdough starter!
Green Dragonette says
Oh yummy-I do so love a good sourdough bread!!!
StephenC says
I could learn so much from you and your readers. Sourdough “starter”? Is there a sourdough “finisher”?
From Beyond My Kitchen Window says
Your bread looks great. Your holes are your trophy for sure. I am off to look at that web site for the NZ sour starter.
Javelin Warrior says
I have to admit this looks pretty damn perfect 😉 The crust is gorgeous, the air pockets inside are wonderful and the color/texture of the center looks moist and utterly chewy… Love this…
Neesie says
Wow I could just do with a slice with my cuppa.
It looks amazing. I've tried to make a starter from scratch and failed dismally.
You're an inspiration ;D
Chele says
I would say you have named him perfectly, he seems to thrive on abuse and neglect lol. What a perfect looking sourdough, well done ;0)
Sylvie says
I wish my first sourdough had looked like that!
Susan Lindquist says
Wow! That's a gorgeous loaf of sourdough bread, Dom! I can just imagine that chewy consistency and tangy flavour! Ahhh! Good work, my friend!
Karen S Booth says
That's it, SOURDOUGH is on my MUST make menu this weekend! That looks JUST how I like me bread, chewy and with attitude!
Michael Toa says
Looks perfect Dom that sourdough! so gorgeous. OK, I need to read more about how to make the starter now.
mr. pineapple man says
Love love sourdough! Enjoy!
Jenn says
That bread looks absolutely perfect, Dom! Nicely done.. VERY nicely done!
Javelin Warrior says
Dom, you already know I love this bread, but just stopping by to let you know I am featuring this post in today's Friday Food Fetish roundup (with a link-back and attribution), but please let me know if you have any objections…