Sally the starter...

Yes, I named my sourdough starter. This is about my 5th time or so making a sourdough starter. Mine always ended up either black, filled with hooch on top or both. I had told myself that I was done trying to be an artisan bread maker where sourdough was concerned. I would leave it to others to do all the work on that particular variety. After all I can usually bake the rest with pretty good success. But then it came...My February-March issue of MaryJanes Farm. I read it through a few times and thought to myself that MaryJane has yet to fail me. So I will give the sourdough another try. Of course, I put off starting it for at least two weeks or so. Well I made my first loaf of sourdough this week. It was the tiniest little loaf. It didn't seem to have much rise to it after sitting about 5 hours. Then I remembered that my fancy dancy oven had a "proofing" setting on it. I had never used it before. I had never needed it. Well I read the manual through and figured out how to work that setting. Gently tossed the sourdough into the oven to proof for 2 more hours. It did rise a tad bit in there but not much. After that I pulled it out and preheated my oven and put the little loaf back in the oven to bake. It baked nicely into a small dense round of bread. It was great warm with elderberry jam on it! So I guess for now I am a convert to this sourdough way of life. After all sourdough is actually better for you than wheat bread. Yes, it is true! Google it.