Saving on heating bills, our kitchen now sits at a not-so-comfortable 58F
If I’m not liking it, what about those microbes, the yeast, in my sourdough feeling?
When I started this journey, back when my kitchen was warm, I was creating two sourdough loaves a week and they were so beautiful and delicious.
And then we turned the thermostat down in order to save on heating costs.
My sourdough wasn’t liking it.
Since the change in temperature, the bread has still been tasty but it hasn’t been as beautiful as it looked before.
So I started putting the dough into the oven with a light on, to provide a warm environment. That was better but still not like “before”.
Yesterday, I had the realization that I didn’t know what the temperature was inside the lighted oven; so I checked — 97F. Oh my!! From too cold to too hot.
How was temperature affecting my sourdough?
I hadn’t had to worry about the temperature before because my loaves came out perfect just by following the clock and the “next steps” in the process.
Challenges = Learning Opportunity
Today, I realize that I have been given the opportunity to really get to know my sourdough and how it looks and feels through the fermentation process.
Today, rather than making sourdough bread I am, now, becoming a sourdough baker!
Today, I start to really pay attention to the look, the smell, the feel of the dough.
