Hi Barbara,
Thank you so very much for sharing your professional wisdom throughout this beautifully guided journey to the kingdom of sourdough! I have been an avid baker all my life, but always intimidated to bake my own bread (with the exception of focaccia), until I recently discovered this website (which I absolutely fell in love with)! Reading through the recipes and baking tips on your site gives someone the warm feeling of friends in the kitchen. Your collective skills of communication are as organic and real as the beautiful foods you represent, and in a world where corporate communication to the public has become more and more automated and formula generated, the human quality that this corporation exudes is like a rare breath of fresh air.
I started with "No-knead Crusty White Bread", but while it looked acceptable out of the oven, there was absolutely no detectable flavor. I almost gave up, but saw your blog about this bread and decided to attempt my own starter (at the same time, I ordered some starter from King Arthur...which I ruined somehow soon after it arrived!). I kept my starter going, thinking that maybe it would turn into something sweet smelling, which it eventually it did! I read your blog again and over 3 days, I went from a successful stiff starter, to a successful day of kneading, rising, folding, and rising, to the success of seeing this beautiful round loaf of seeded bread emerge from all of this perfect timing! I almost cried! It looked like something straight out of the Renaissance, seen next to a goblet of wine on Michelangelo's workbench! I couldn't believe I made it. Then, when I cut into it, I found what you call a really good "crumb"! But it was the flavor in this bread that really took me places. It's such a true sourdough. It's delicious! It doesn't even need butter. I am so happy to communicate this and cannot thank you enough for the guidance and encouragement you provide here.
I do have one small question...
I baked this loaf on a baking sheet (on parchment) with steam at 450 degrees, but it was ready far sooner than I expected. I removed the pan with water at 30 minutes, but it only stayed in for another 10 minutes at most because the color was on the darkest side of golden. I didn't notice specific instructions for temp and timing when using a baking sheet, so I went with what was recommended for the method with the bowl. I have ordered a dutch oven, so this probably doesn't matter for me now, but maybe it will for someone else who is working with just a baking sheet.
Thank you again!
Michelle
October 1, 2016 at 8:05pm