I'm in the middle of my second attempt at this recipe. The first try wasn't bad, the loaves just didn't rise much in baking, so they came out more like sourdough flat breads (very tasty, though). In re-reading the recipe, I wonder if I should have let them rise another hour before baking or if my terrible NYC apartment oven with no window wasn't yet hot enough. I also have a couple of questions: 1.) When you knead the dough, do you do a full-on kneading session, or is this more of a gentle incorporation of the ingredients? I can't tell how long or vigorous the kneading should be from the recipe or blog posting. 2.) When you shape the loaves, do you punch the dough down first or do you try to preserve the bubbliness by handling it gently? Thanks! Sourdough is a real learning experience, Emma - you may try letting the loaves rise more next time; and you might also try letting the dough rise LESS prior to shaping, as it's possible the flatness comes from the gluten having become so tenderized by the sourdough's acids over time, it just starts to give up the ghost... The kneading should be full on; knead as you would any yeast dough. And I never punch dough down; I gently (but thoroughly) deflate it. Doing this expels the CO2 and gives the yeast new oxygen to "breathe." Please call our hotline, 802-649-3717, if you'd like an easier way to back-and-forth about sourdough bread. Good luck - PJH

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