Back to Basics

We are at capacity over here. Bread now lurks on every available counter surface. I’m tired. My wooden spoons are begging for mercy. My blood gluten levels, if they could be drawn, would be screaming. Rather than whip together another sweet, desserty quick bread of the recent variety, my good ole’ sour dough starter (origins Andie Ellis, but before her, who knows? Henry VIII? I assume it’s an aged slime) sat in the fridge panting like the good pet it is. I fed her, and whipped up some quick wheat and flax rolls that I like to have on hand for breakfast sandwiches and olive oil dipping.

1 cup sourdough starter

3.5 cups flour (I do half wheat half white)

1 tsp salt

1.5 cups whole milk (any milk will do—warmed to 115 degrees)

Optional: 2 tablespoons of flax seeds and/or rosemary

Knead and allow to rise covered for several hours. Punch down and shape into loaves, or rolls as I more commonly do because they are good to-go, and allow to rise for another few hours (sometimes overnight in a warmed oven will make them HUGE and fluffy!

Creations from my sourdough starter have become as close a comfort food to Cheerios as I have, and I always think about how in some twisted way, whenever I eat bread made of this starter, I am eating a myriad of fond bacterial colonies that used to belong to my mother—including the stuff under her fingernails or in the mist of her sneeze. One of my many tender thoughts of home while stirring.

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2 thoughts on “Back to Basics

  1. Thank you, darling…the starter is from Denali National Park, circa 1960. It was gifted to a friend by a fellow hiker and made it’s way finally to my kitchen. I vote that I give some to Kelly Almon as a grand prize in the Zucchini Bread contest. It is a relentless and delicious bacterial friend! Bless your heart and your sweet smelling kitchen!

    1. Kelly is in California– can you ship starter by mail or is it considered threat of chemical warfare?

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