#51 – Your Sourdough Questions Answered

“How do I use different ancient grains in making sourdough bread?” “How do they behave differently from wheat?” “How do I freeze and store dough or finished bread?” “And why do all those loaves on Instagram look like THAT, and mine looks like THIS?” All these questions and many more crop up when we discuss sourdough bread. Sourdough bread is one of the hottest topics when we talk about ancestral foods. “Give us this day our daily bread,” “Give the Romans bread and circuses,” “I am the bread of life,” “Turn these stones into bread.” Bread is ubiquitous throughout our history and collective human memory. We both love sourdough bread for its flavor and digestibility, and the accessibility of nutrition in the grains once they’ve been fermented through the sourdough process. Listen to this episode and get all your question answered and more, then also check out Alison’s free course, Ten Tips for Creating and Maintaining a Sourdough Starter, by going to http://ancestralkitchen.com/10tips, where Alison will answer even more questions you didn’t know you had. We can’t wait to see your finished loaves and enjoy breaking bread with you!

*This episode is brought to you by the Homefolk Roots membership program. To find out more and join click here.*

What we cover:

We answer many listener questions covering the following topics…

• Where to begin with sourdough
• Sourdough starters
• Flours, berries and milling
• Consistency of your final loaf when using non-standard flours (i.e. ancient grains)
• Flavour and how to control it
• Making dough and bread in bulk and storing
• The many other ways to use sourdough (with loads of recipes!)

Resources:

Alison’s free course 10 Tips for Creating and Maintaining a Sourdough Starter: www.ancestralkitchen.com/10tips

Bread baking forum: www.thefreshloaf.com

Episode 10, “Elly from Elly’s Everyday: Sourdough-Baking (and Soap-Making!)”

Probiotics, para-post-biotics and more: Episode 7, “Sourdough – Why We Love It”

Azure Standard: https://www.azurestandard.com/?a_aid=fDevVdRXWd

Activated sourdough starter from Azure: https://www.azurestandard.com/shop/product/food/baking-pantry/leavenings/bread-starter/bread-for-life-starter-refrigerated/14770?package=BP317&a_aid=fDevVdRXWd

Small-Scale Grain Raising by Gene Logsdon https://bookshop.org/a/86014/9781603580779

Weevils in grains?! An episode with Elly: # 42, How to Get (& Grind) the Best Flour for Bread

Rye sourdough episode: #41, Rye Sourdough Bread: Mastering the Basics

A guide to using all-purpose flour in artisan breads: https://www.theclevercarrot.com/2020/04/artisan-sourdough-with-all-purpose-flour/

Sprouted grain sourdough: https://www.theperfectloaf.com/sprouted-grain-sourdough-bread/

Alison’s spelt loaf: https://ancestralkitchen.com/2020/12/01/sourdough-wholegrain-spelt-loaf/

Oven Thermometer: https://amzn.to/3Hqbxoi

Probe thermometer for loaves, if you wish to use one: https://amzn.to/3XVVXWM

Einkorn loaves: https://www.theperfectloaf.com/einkorn-sourdough-bread/

Peter Reinhart’s book – he has quite a few, you only need one book to start! https://www.theperfectloaf.com/einkorn-sourdough-bread/

Baking & Cooking with Einkorn by Heidi Ellis: https://www.youngliving.com/us/en/product/einkorn-cookbook?enrollerId=2524222&sponsorId=2524222

The magazine Andrea referenced: Cook’s Illustrated Make-Ahead Recipes, June 17, 2013

Article by John Moody on grain mill options: https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/home-grain-milling-machine/#gsc.tab=0

Milk-Kefir Spelt Bread on Alison’s website: https://ancestralkitchen.com/2021/12/07/milk-kefir-spelt-bread/

Alison’s Sourdough Pancakes: https://ancestralkitchen.com/2020/10/01/sourdough-pancakes/

Sourdough Discard Soup on Alison’s site: https://ancestralkitchen.com/2021/02/11/sourdough-discard-soup/

Alison’s 100% Wholegrain Spelt Pizza: https://ancestralkitchen.com/2020/08/03/sourdough-wholegrain-spelt-pizza-ancestral-cook-up-august-2020/

Naturally-Fermented Staffordshire Oatcakes on Alison’s site: https://ancestralkitchen.com/2023/01/14/naturally-fermented-staffordshire-oatcakes/

Traditional Scottish Oatcakes made sourdough on Alison’s site: https://ancestralkitchen.com/2023/01/24/sourdough-oatcakes/

Sourdough discard crackers: http://homejoys.blogspot.com/2010/03/sourdough-crackers.html?m=1

Elly’s audio on 5 top tip for wholegrain baking: https://youtu.be/ifvegcKDEkk

How to shape a boule: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWXA8xFYu9A