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That baker at the farmer’s market laughed at my sourdough starter
I was at the Saturday market in Portland last summer and this older woman running a bread stall asked to see my starter. She took one sniff, laughed, and said “this smells like a wet sock that gave up.” She then spent 10 minutes showing me how to feed it with rye flour instead of white. I switched that day and my loaves finally got that tangy rise I was chasing. Has anyone else gotten roasted by a veteran baker over something basic?
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cameron7702mo ago
Portland baker sounds like a real character. I had something similar happen at a tiny bakery in Seattle a few years back. Guy took one look at my kneading technique and goes "you're fighting the dough like it owes you money." Then he showed me a slap and fold method that changed everything. @ivangrant that article about rye is spot on, I tried a 50/50 rye and white blend after that baker told me the same thing. The wet sock comment is gold, I'm stealing that for my next baking disaster story.
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ivangrant2mo ago
Oh man, that's brutal but honestly kind of hilarious! I actually read an article just last week in some food blog about how rye flour changes the whole microbiome of a starter compared to white flour, something about acids and wild yeast balance. I bet that baker has seen a thousand sad starters come through that market and she couldn't help herself. Your wet sock comment made me laugh out loud, that's a keeper for sure.
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