I think every kitchen should have a sourdough starter, because everything made with it is so delicious. Since I started the Twice as Tasty blog, January has been Sourdough Month, featuring recipes that require a sourdough starter. To make it easy for anyone to make these recipes, I give away packets of my own sourdough starter all month. This year, I’m excited to share my starter with you too.
Homemade sourdough tops commercially processed products in texture, flavor and even health benefits. Researchers have found that the wild yeast and bacteria in sourdough break down the phytic acid in wheat bran and make it easier to digest. Anecdotally, friends stuck on a low FODMAP diet or facing wheat intolerance have successfully returned to eating bread made with sourdough starter and long fermentation times. Of course, if you have health issues, discuss such diet changes with your doctor or nutritionist before sampling homemade sourdough.
Making a sourdough starter from scratch can be a rewarding project, but it takes weeks to convert flour and water to a functioning starter – as many people discovered during the pandemic sourdough craze. In contrast, an active, fully developed starter is truly a gift ready for baking.
My original sourdough starter was a gift, and it’s been going strong since May 2014. It’s a 100% hydration, wheat-based starter. I primarily feed it with Wheat Montana Natural White Flour and unchlorinated water from the well on my property. In 2017, I began dehydrating my starter so that I could ship it anywhere in the world.
Through January 31, I will happily send you a free packet of my sourdough starter. It will arrive securely packaged in a padded envelope, and you’ll receive instructions for waking up and caring for it. Simply fill out the giveaway form at TwiceAsTasty.com. While the starter is free, packaging and shipping costs me $5 per packet. The giveaway form offers several options for covering this cost.
As part of the Fifth Annual Sourdough Giveaway, I’ll be sharing some of my favorite sourdough recipes in this column. The first recipes will help you get to know your new starter and how it behaves in your kitchen. By the end of the month, you should be confident enough to shape your first loaf.
Baking with sourdough may sound daunting, but it quickly becomes routine. You just have to form the habit of using your starter. Share your successes and ask any questions on Instagram by tagging your photos with @twiceastastyblog.