From The Challenger to COVID-19

I too have turned my hand to bread baking during this unsettling time. It’s something I haven’t done on a regular basis since the Challenger exploded. At that time I was on a self-imposed lockdown in a snowbound Connecticut farmhouse finishing my thesis on an obscure Spanish medieval manuscript. Now I’m in Spain, the Beatus is in New York and I am going back to baking.

This, the first proper sourdough loaf from a starter that I had passed to me in an elaborate cloak and dagger scheme, has taken three days of proofing and resting (a slow build people!).

A person who shall remain nameless–OK, it was Carol–made the starter drop on a weekday in exchange for a few kilos of bread flour.

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We maintained proper distancing and all other hygienic measures. Gloves, bags, washing of hands and jars.

I wanted it to be happy and acclimated in my place, so I got out my trusty dehydrator and set it at 70ºF/21ªC, which is apparently the starter’s favorite temperature. It was fine but noisy so the next night I just left it in the oven with the light on and the door open. It bubbled up and demanded food. Twice a day! Voracious little thing.

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I had to venture out for more flour from the bakery around the corner. Plus, you have to discard half the starter at each feeding, so I started looking around for other uses. https://www.kingarthurflour.com had tons of recipes. I made crackers, pizza and scones and more crackers.

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When I was just about ready to make a proper loaf, I realized that the battery on my kitchen scale was dead and there was no place to buy a new one. I asked our helpful Corona Girls WhatsApp group and someone else who shall remain nameless–Ok, it was Diana–had 10. I thought you couldn’t use 10 lithium batteries in a lifetime, but my mother says you can if you have lots of small alarms. Diana may have fewer smoke alarms here than in her American house, so she was willing to part with a couple but again–- how to get them? We live pretty far apart by Donosti standards.

But she had to go to the post office, a legitimate errand. I had to go print something at my office. Also legitimate. And the post office is more or less on the way to my office in Gros. Again, gloves, masks and before you can say Jack Robinson two slim batteries were in my possession.

On Monday, I started the levain, a stiff dough one step up from the soft liquid starter, which will be mixed with the flour salt and water later. It had to be refrigerated overnight. I’d been following three recipes more or less.

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One was from the Bread Bakers Apprentice, which was a gift from my father along with some useful bread making tools which came in handy during this process as well. Especially the Danish dough whisk which got some use on Tuesday when I autolyse-d my flour and water, letting it rest before adding the levain. You don’t need the blow by blow but OK: mix, proof, rest, refrigerate, rest, knead, rest, rise, rest, refrigerate, bring to temperature, rest, divide, shape, rise, bake in hot dutch oven, reduce temperature, remove cover, finish baking, remove, cool. It’s now Wednesday evening.

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I don’t even want to cut into it! But I do. And it’s good. Chewy, crackly crust, mild tang. Next up No Knead Sourdough.

Update: The No Knead sourdough from 600 acres’ Posie Brien is going to be my go to recipe from now on.  Even chewier, full of flavor and so, so easy.