I've been making sourdough for a while and it's been pretty good with a
few real disasters thrown in. I threw the hockey pucks away though and
moved on. The last attempt finally had all the characteristics of sour
dough. I was startled it actually came out right. On the last attempt,
I let it sit out about 24 hours before the last rise. I think that did
it. I guess the thing is to keep trying and write down what works every
time and try to reproduce it the next. I think it's great because I was
always so intimidated by making sourdough. Now I doubt I will ever use
commercial yeast again. It really doesn't compare to the taste of
sourdough. Thanks for the help and great posts!

chimera wrote:

> I've been making sourdough for a while and it's been pretty good with
> a few real disasters thrown in. I threw the hockey pucks away though
> and moved on.

We've all made hocky pucks, door stops, boat anchors and the like.
Congrats. Fortunately, the birds don't care. Neither does french
toast, breakfast casseroles (aka "strata, aka "wifesavers" in the '50s),
or the Provencal dry soups.

>... I guess the thing is to keep trying and write down what works every
> time and try to reproduce it the next.

Bingo.

And when you're changing something, only change one thing at a time.

> I think it's great because I was always so intimidated by making
> sourdough.

Once you get the hang of the routine, it's easy. Well, the basic loaf,
that is. Just remember, the Yukon Jacks were too busy panning for gold
to be messing around with
this, that, and the other.

B/