When I first started sourdough baking, all my resources recommended the high hydration approach. 75 to 80 percent was as low as they'd go, and they were proud of it. Knowing nothing, I tried these recipes, and all were a disaster. I did not understand that much of sourdough baking has to do with the heat and humidity level in the kitchen, and I was baking in a very hot, very dry climate. The super-wet doughs were hard to handle, rarely rose, and the loaves were flat--hole-y yes, but the extreme open crumb is not what I need. I wanted sourdough but something that would just make a good sandwich. I finally found a source that gave me 65-70 hydration--and wasn't ashamed of it--and my bread baking changed overnight (literally). I realized that a dryer starter and a dryer dough was what I needed in my climate (counter-intuitive, but true). My dough rose well, the oven spring was fantastic, and soon I was turning our boules that I could slice up for sandwiches. I had thought I was a complete failure as a bread baker, but it wasn't me. It was too much water. Sourdough baking is certainly trial and error. Also, I stopped being afraid to bake sourdough in a bread pan. I am not a loser because I don't make free-form batards, and letting the bread pan support the dough makes good sense. The crust is still plenty crisp. (For a boule or batard, though, the KA ceramic cloche is fantastic! Also the "the works" bread topping takes bread to the next level.) I now happily bake sourdough, in or out of a bread pan, at least once a week.

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