My sourdough adventure started this summer, inspired by the bread we loved in Bora Bora (and the $7 price tag back home). I figured I could make four loaves for $10—and it’s also my husband’s favorite, so naturally I had to “ruin” him with fresh bread.
I jumped in with my own starter (named Dragon—because feeding a dragon sounds way cooler than feeding yeast). The first loaves looked good but were dense, gummy, and burnt on the bottom. Still, I kept baking every weekend, watching endless YouTube tutorials (Mike G became my favorite) and testing different hydration levels and techniques.
It took six weeks of twice-daily feedings before Dragon was strong enough to really rise dough. By then, I had experimented with kneading, slap-and-folds, and recipes like Clever Carrot’s 60% with olive oil. I invested in gear—a Challenger bread Dutch oven, bannetons, scrapers, slicer, even a starter jar—and by loaf 13, things finally clicked. My husband admitted the first 12 loaves weren’t great, but by the time we left for an Oregon trip, I had baked four perfect loaves in one weekend.
Now I have a rhythm: feeding Dragon on Fridays, mixing and folding on Saturdays, long overnight ferments, shaping into bannetons, and baking Sunday evenings. The process is messy, time-consuming, and takes over my kitchen, but the reward is fluffy, golden, bakery-worthy sourdough we slice, freeze, and enjoy all week.
Sharing loaves with coworkers and friends has been just as rewarding as eating them. This journey taught me patience, persistence, and how much joy comes from creating something slow, hands-on, and nourishing.
After a summer of flour-dusted weekends, I can honestly say: I’ll be baking bread for life.
My Final Sourdough Recipe & Process
Starter (Dragon)
- 50g King Arthur Bread Flour
- 50g filtered room temp water
- Feed twice a day until consistently doubling within 6 hours
Weekly Baking Schedule
- Friday: Take starter out at 6am, feed at 8am, feed again at night
- Saturday 6am: Discard all but 20–30g starter, feed 100g flour + 100g water
- 1pm: Begin autolyse (flour + water)
- 2pm: Add starter + salt, knead 3–4 min, then 10 min slap-and-fold
- Bulk ferment ~13.5 hrs with 4 folds every 30 min, then into a lightly oiled container overnight
- Sunday morning: Pre-shape, rest 30 min, final shape into oblong bannetons, cover, refrigerate 12+ hrs
- Sunday evening bake:
- Preheat oven with Challenger at 550°F for 1 hr
- Score loaves, add to hot Challenger with 4 ice cubes
- Bake 25 min at 485°F covered, then 20 min at 455°F uncovered
- Finish with 20 min in oven off, door propped open
- Cool at least 2 hrs before slicing
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