On January 16th, I embarked on an adventure in sourdough, starting my own starter from scratch. By January 31st, I turned to Facebook for confirmation that my starter was ready to bake. The green light came when it had doubled in size three days in a row after two weeks of consistent feedings. I was finally ready to take the next step.
With a mix of excitement and nervous energy, I dove deep into the world of sourdough. I spent hours watching YouTube videos, reading blogs, and gathering the essential tools: a Danish dough whisk, a Dutch oven (which I’d surprisingly never used until now), unbleached flour, and my scoring tool. These were the pieces of the puzzle that would bring me closer to baking my first loaf.
This weekend marked a huge milestone—The First Loaf.
I’m the kind of person who usually strives to accomplish everything as quickly as possible, which, as you might guess, doesn’t always lead to the best results. But this time was different. I had spent countless hours researching the science behind sourdough, from the interaction of wild yeast and bacteria to the gluten development that creates a chewy, airy crumb. The process was a delicate balance between art and science—one that demanded patience and attention.
What I’ve learned through this journey is that true mastery of anything requires time, dedication, and understanding. The science behind sourdough baking is fascinating: The wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria work together to ferment the dough, producing carbon dioxide and lactic acid, which contribute to the rise and flavor. The longer the fermentation, the more complex the flavor profile. It’s a delicate dance between temperature, hydration, and flour type, each element playing its part to create the perfect loaf.
Throughout this experience, I’ve relied heavily on social media—Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook—to guide me. These platforms have not only helped me learn, but they’ve also sparked interesting conversations with my students. I’ve started discussing social media’s educational potential more frequently in class, and it’s exciting to see some of my students joining hockey, art, and softball groups on Facebook, inspired by our discussions.
And now, drumroll please… MY FIRST LOAF!
On Friday, after work, I mixed the ingredients for the dough, carefully completing the stretch and fold process several times. Then, I let the dough rise overnight in the oven, just as I had learned from countless videos. The next day, I got to shape and score the dough—a hands-on, almost therapeutic experience that I shared with my kids. There were some happy tears (mostly from me) as we watched the bread come to life in the oven. When it was finally done, the crust was perfectly golden, and the inside was airy and soft.
The satisfaction of pulling that first loaf out of the oven was indescribable. I can’t wait to bake one loaf a week, tweaking and refining my process as I go.
The only downside to this entire experience? Time. Sourdough baking is a slow, deliberate process, and unfortunately, time is something I never have enough of. But every step, from mixing to shaping to baking, has been an investment in something truly rewarding.
I got my recipe from Instagram.
Enjoy some photos of my first loaf, and stay tuned for the next chapter of this delicious journey.
Karissa Beck 🙂
Your first loaf! How exciting! It’s like the birth of a bread baby. I love the science aspect of sourdough, and you explained it so well. This would be a great lesson in a mixtures and solutions unit for science. It’s so nice to see your kids getting in on the action. Which online source has been the most helpful so far?
I actually teach grade 7 so next year we are absolutely going to use sourdough for mixtures and solutions I have already taught that unit this year but might bring him in to demonstrate. I have found that Youtube videos have been the most beneficial in terms of figuring out the science behind everything but I am liking Instagram better for recipes so far.