Sourdough update.

Back when we were stuck at home in the middle of winter, when flour was in short supply, when I was looking for projects, I began a sourdough starter. (Here.) I baked a loaf or three of sourdough bread, plus lots of goodies with the sourdough discard. Then summer arrived. I tucked the starter in the back of my fridge. Who wants to bake bread in a 450 degree oven when it’s 85 outside?

It was in the back of the fridge longer than it should have been. In everything I’ve read, a refrigerated starter should still be recharged every couple weeks. I didn’t for probably, oh, two and a half months. I pulled it out a week ago, as the weather begins to get cooler, and you know what? My starter is stronger than ever, baby.

A mark of a good starter is that it doubles in size after it’s fed. Mine never did that before; it would rise but never double. Now? It nearly triples in size. It’s an active little jar of delicious goop on the counter.

Last night I began prepping a deep dish foccacia bread to eat with pumpkin chili tonight. (Pumpkin chili: don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. I first had it with my Dawson-turned-Austin friends. It’s healthy and suuuuper filling and perfect for chilly nights. Tonight’s version features peppers and tomatoes from the garden.) Now, I’ve never made foccacia bread before. Dave doesn’t even know what focaccia bread is so this is new on lots of levels.

It’s a thing of beauty. And super delicious. Look at those glorious bubbles created by the wild yeast in the starter! Maybe tomorrow morning we’ll cut a piece in half to make egg sandwiches. (YUM.) Dave said it kind of tastes like pizza bread which means next time we really should smoosh chunks of mozzarella and pepperoni in it and dip it in marinara. (YUM.) This time around I added rosemary (my favorite from the garden) but cheese is always a good idea.