Shoutout to the bakery owner in Portland who made me rethink my sourdough starter

I was over at a friend's place last month and overheard this bakery owner talking about how they keep their starter at 78 degrees exactly, not just on the counter. I always just left mine on the kitchen shelf and wondered why my loaves were flat and dense. Turns out temperature was my whole problem... after 3 tries with a warm spot near my water heater, I got the best rise I've ever had. The crumb was finally open and airy like I see in all those Instagram posts. Has anyone else noticed a big difference from controlling the temp more carefully?

2 comments

2 Comments

schmidt.grant8d ago

Damn, 78 degrees exactly? That's some serious dedication lol. I just keep mine in the microwave with the door cracked open and hope for the best.

pipera508d ago

Schmidt.grant, my mom used to calibrate thermometers in a lab so 78 hits different for me too lol.