The Sourdough Keeper: A Starter Companion
To bake sourdough is to be a custodian of a living thing. The starter—that bubbling, breathing culture of wild yeast and bacteria—is the heart of the loaf. It’s a partner in the baking process, with its own rhythms, needs, and moods. And as any baker knows, its vitality is profoundly tied to temperature. The Baker’s Dilemma Our modern kitchens are rarely the ideal environment for this ancient lifeform. Temperatures swing with the seasons, the time of day, or whether the oven has been on. In winter, a starter can be sluggish, refusing to rise with the vigour needed for a great bake. In summer, it can ferment too quickly, becoming overly acidic and losing its strength.
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