Bread

In terms of the Dutch oven, I've happily used a large metal casserole pot to bake my bread in for years. Cost me £30 from Tesco. This method really does make a huge difference. Another option is to use a baking stone in conjunction with a 'cloche'. Bakerybits.co.uk sell them.

Cheers for the tip! Do you use your casserole pot upside down, or are you dropping your dough into it right-way-up? That might call for steadier hands than mine :/

I've considered a baking stone before too so hopefully I could could grab one (and a cloche), or an upside-downable casserole dish for a bit less than the £70 dutch oven on Amazon.

Dutch oven!!!!! Lolz

I just turn out the loaf from the banneton onto a floured work surface, remove the casserole dish from the pre-heated oven, remove the lid then pop the loaf into it, replace the lid and whack it back the oven. It depends on the consistency of the loaves, I often retard them in the fridge for 8 hours which helps with the stability when moving the loaf. £70 is a bit steep for something you'd only bake bread in, I also use my casserole dish for....errr.....casseroles. And stews.

The thing about casserole dishes is that they might work for you, @Bainbridge, but people need to find a container that works for them. We’re all different. You really need to remember that.

I'm gonna try with a clocherole next time I bake. Do you think it will work putting it upside down on my baking stone?

Fair enough! I've never proved sourdough in the fridge but I should try that as my dough's usually all over the fucken place.

We do have a cast iron Le Crueset thing already so I might try a smaller loaf in that. Think I'd assumed that things needed to be upside down for it to be manageable with the dough etc :)

What are sourdough starters supposed to smell like?

Mine is almost a week old, and smells like my cycling gloves after a week of no washing.

A bit like a zombie marinading in cheap fruit vodka.

I think it depends on how frequently you feed it? If you're keeping it outside the fridge and feeding every day it might smell pretty mild. After a few days without a feed it'll smell a lot stronger and definitely more like it's fermenting - mine smells pretty boozey but slightly sweet.

I'm probably not feeding it often enough in that case - It's very fermenty.

Definitely don't take my word as gospel but check it out. My understanding had been that it needs feeding every day(ish) if it's at room temp, but if you retard it in the fridge then it can be every few days. Mine's in the fridge and fed roughly every 4 days. Usually more like 5 because I always forget.

Not a lot can go wrong though, once it's started fermenting. I've left/forgotten about mine for about 8 days in the fridge and 'rescued' it with a few daily room-temp feeds.

If the loaf can get in there then it will probably rise like a mutha-fucker. Worth a go - post some pics!

It depends on the angle of the handles - you want a tight seal if possible so the steam doesn't all excape, often the handles will be angled upwards which would make that difficult.

You are right @BringMeMyFix, I'm being far too prescriptive. It's all about the personal journey, not just people being able to make decent bread.

Your darkly brooding prescriptivism could make people think ill of you.

It's fine though. You can change. Just be more like me.

Brooding or broody?

We’d already established they’re interchangeable. Like I told you, I’m just not ready yet.

Just did my first sourdough loaf with some kind of off the shelf starter. It tastes ok, but smells of acid / alcohol / vinegar. What's wrong? Funky starter?

So what books would you recommend?

So far we have

Tartine and crust. Any others?

Are you grooming again?

did you refresh the starter before you made your loaves?

I'm playing the long game with this one.

Never used a shop-bought starter so I have no idea.

Water, Flour, Salt, Yeast by Ken Forkish is worth a read.

I'm playing the long game with this one.

..that's what she said