De-influencing sourdough bread making for those with chronic illness

Going online for tips on how to start and succeed at sourdough bread-making can make for a confusing start. There is contradictory advice, pros that have all the gadgets, the pressure to monetize into small or large-scale business operations, and the pressure to get good results. I noticed that I didn't have the tools that were said to be required by many online baking gurus. So I set out on my journey, doubting their necessity, and was ready for failure or success.

To be clear, I have been baking for years. I started cooking for my family at around 8 years old, and by the time I was 10 years old, I had mastered a Dutch baby. I also make cakes with mediocre success and enjoy decorating them. Sourdough is going to take a basic understanding of how an oven works.

The beginning involves making a starter. It takes an understanding of ratios. Basically, feeding involves more flour than starter. I prefer putting about double the amount of flour to starter and less water than flour. The important piece is feeding regularly.

I don't claim to have the best recipe, so I will leave that to the real bakers. I encourage you to skip the whole blog post at the beginning if you don't have time or energy to absorb lots of unnecessary information. This one seems simple and true to my own experience:

https://farmhouseharvest.net/sourdough-starter/

For the starter, you don't need special spatulas. A regular one is fine. Or even just a spoon. I am not great at keeping my sourdough receptacle tidy. It still works. Push down as much starter as you can after mixing it up. Some influencers will show you their impeccable work. You don't have to become a master chef. I use a salsa jar to hold my starter because the sides are vertical.

Feeding your starter is your new task for life! You can slow down the frequency by putting the starter in the fridge for as long as a week (I've heard of longer without destroying it, but you want to avoid mold). If you need to go away for long periods, dehydrate your starter to restart your journey (I will probably keep the dehydrated stuff for up to a year).

For your recipe, I think this is highly personal. I don't use a scale, and many bakers do. Perhaps it will be a huge improvement to your bake. But for mine, I use what I have in my pantry. And I have measuring cups and spoons.

Use a medium-sized mixing bowl to combine your ingredients. Clear glass bowls seem to work well for observing air bubbles while the dough rises. But any mixing bowl you have will do.

Here are some recipes you can use:

https://farmhouseharvest.net/easy-whole-wheat-sourdough-bread-recipe/

https://thesourdoughlady.net/easy-sourdough-bread-recipe-that-is-foolproof/

The second one has a lot of gadgets recommended. Skip to the recipe.

The recipe I have used to obtain consistent results is (give or take):

100 ml of starter

350 ml of water (warm)

3 1/2 cups of bread flour

2 heaping teaspoons of salt

Mix until shaggy. Shaggy means no more floury bits. It looks sort of like a wet-crumbly mixture. I use a shower cap instead of plastic wrap (total investment: $2). This sits on your counter to rise for 30 minutes. Then you start stretch and folds. What does that mean? Have a look:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwtTZK7_t08

Let it rest covered for another 30 minutes. Do 4 sequences of stretch-and-folds with 30-minute rest periods in between. For someone with a chronic illness, this is exercise with a nice amount of break time in between. You are doing both hand and shoulder exercises while making yourself an amazing loaf of bread. Good for you! Consider whether this task requires you to sit or stand.

Some artisans do their stretch-and-folds on a surface. I say save time, energy, and clean-up by keeping everything in your bowl. Cleaning up the sides of your bowl may help with your results, but even that isn't a huge deal.

I now consistently bulk ferment at least 8 hours. Living in Canada, there is no way I can guarantee a hot kitchen. One trick I have seen is to put a tablespoon of your dough into a room-temperature glass of water. When it rises to the top, it means your bulk fermentation should be done. I did it once and it worked. Over-proofing (spending too much time rising) can lead to your dough becoming flat and gummy.

After baking, wait to cool before trying to cut and eat. There seems to be some baking still happening as it sits warm on your counter. The texture and crumb of your bread improve with cooling.

I don't have a scraper. I don't have a scale. I don't have a special spatula. I use what I own. It still works and makes me bread that I love. The tricks of the pros don't need to consume your thoughts. They can be incorporated over time and as you wish to experiment.

I hope you want to try sourdough instead of thinking of it as some kind of niche hobby. Bread used to be something most households did themselves. It's literally 3 ingredients that have fed people for centuries. Let's not over-complicate it.

If you struggle with standing in the kitchen, your ingredients should be organized into a designated area to avoid having to pull out items from many locations. This prevents you from having to pivot around the kitchen a lot. This can sometimes cause more dizziness as a result and decrease your standing endurance. Keep your ingredients at heights that are manageable, like on the counter or at the lowest cabinet height. Avoid excessive bending by placing items within easy reach. If you want to really devote yourself to the task and need to sit at a table, consider a trolley to put your ingredients on and bring it out to the kitchen table to do your work. There are also great stools for kitchen tasks.

See kitchen stool:

https://inmotionservices.ca/products/kitchen-stool?msclkid=230735b3ce19168489755ff6cf5b6796&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Shopping&utm_term=4586681478544592&utm_content=All+Products

The steps of sourdough bread-making force you into a pattern of pacing. I like it for that reason. You shouldn't expect perfection at the outset, and that's great for those learning to break out of performance outcomes. If you must take a leave from work, I highly recommend this type of goal setting because it can distract you from the anxiety that can come with feeling like you are not doing enough. You are healing, and that's hard work. Allowing yourself to engage in hobbies that are fulfilling but take time, curiosity, skill development, and physical engagement, is part of maintaining your health and well-being as you deal with your chronic condition.

Visit my Instagram account @vivacityoccupationaltherapy for more pictures and progress on my sourdough journey.