About this episode
You are about to listen to one of the podcast's most popular episodes. Since it was released in February 2023, this episode has been downloaded thousands and thousands of times. That's just how popular sourdough bread is. And is testament to how many people are confused and have questions about it. That's what we aim to help with in this episode! We'll cover all manner of listener sourdough questions. We'll talk about where to begin with sourdough and all about starters. We'll give answers to your questions on flours, berries and milling including what to expect when using ancient grains. We'll discuss the flavour of your finished bread and the ways you can control that. We'll also share how we make dough and bread in bulk and store it. Along the way, we'll share loads of recipes and resources and and talk about some more unusual ways to use your sourdough starter. Thank you to everyone who sent questions in and remember you can access Alison's course, 10 Tips for Creating and Maintaining a Sourdough Starter for free by going to ancestral kitchen.com/10 tips on entering the code STARTER100 at the checkout. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Get more news from Alison & Andrea by signing up to their newsletter at the top of the page here. For more tips, inspiration and recipes plus a free 30-page guide to Baking with Ancient Grains sign up for Alison's newsletter here! Get our two podcast cookbooks: Meals at the Ancestral Hearth Spelt Sourdough Every Day Alison's course, Rye Sourdough Bread: Mastering The Basics Alison's Sowans oat fermentation course Get 10% off US/Canada Bokashi supplies: click here and use code AKP . Get 10% off UK Bokashi supplies. Visit our (non-Amazon!) bookshop for a vast selection of ancestral cookbooks: US link here and UK link here . * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Our podcast is supported by a community of ancestral cooks around the world! Come join our community! You can choose to simply sponsor the podcast, or select from a variety of levels with benefits including monthly live Zoom calls, a private podcast feed stuffed with bonus content from Alison and Andrea, and a Discord discussion group. To read more about becoming a supporter and explore the various levels, click here! * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * What we cover: We answer many listener questions covering the following topics... Where to begin with sourdough Sourdough starters Flours, berries and milling Consistency of your final loaf when using non-standard flours (i.e. ancient grains) Flavour and how to control it Making dough and bread in bulk and storing The many other ways to use sourdough (with loads of recipes!) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 5* reviews on Apple Podcasts, mean the world to us! Here's how you can leave one: Open the Apple Podcast app Find Ancestral Kitchen Podcast in your library Scroll down to 'ratings and reviews' Click on 'write a review', give us 5*s and then tell us why you love listening in the box below * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Resources: Alison's free course 10 Tips for Creating and Maintaining a Sourdough Starter: www.ancestralkitchen.com/10tips Bread baking forum: www.thefreshloaf.com Episode 10, "Elly from Elly's Everyday: Sourdough-Baking (and Soap-Making!)" Probiotics, para-post-biotics and more: Episode 7, "Sourdough - Why We Love It" Azure Standard: https://www.azurestandard.com/?a_aid=fDevVdRXWd Activated sourdough starter from Azure: https://www.azurestandard.com/shop/product/food/baking-pantry/leavenings/bread-starter/bread-for-life-starter-refrigerated/14770?package=BP317&a_aid=fDevVdRXWd Small-Scale Grain Raising by Gene Logsdon https://bookshop.org/a/86014/9781603580779 Weevils in grains?! An episode with Elly: # 42, How to Get (& Grind) the Best Flour for Bread Rye sourdough episode: #41, Rye Sourdough Bread: Mastering the Basics A guide to using all-purpose flour in artisan breads: https://www.theclevercarrot.com/2020/04/artisan-sourdough-with-all-purpose-flour/ Sprouted grain sourdough: https://www.theperfectloaf.com/sprouted-grain-sourdough-bread/ Alison's spelt loaf: https://ancestralkitchen.com/2020/12/01/sourdough-wholegrain-spelt-loaf/ Oven Thermometer: https://amzn.to/3Hqbxoi Probe thermometer for loaves, if you wish to use one: https://amzn.to/3XVVXWM Einkorn loaves: https://www.theperfectloaf.com/einkorn-sourdough-bread/ Peter Reinhart's book - he has quite a few, you only need one book to start! https://www.theperfectloaf.com/einkorn-sourdough-bread/ Baking & Cooking with Einkorn by Heidi Ellis: https://www.youngliving.com/us/en/product/einkorn-cookbook?enrollerId=2524222&sponsorId=2524222 The magazine Andrea referenced: Cook's Illustrated Make-Ahead Recipes, June 17, 2013 Article by John Moody on grain mill options: https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/home-grain-milling-machine/#gsc.tab=0 Milk-Kefir Spelt Bread on Alison's website: https://ancestralkitchen.com/2021/12/07/milk-kefir-spelt-bread/ Alison's Sourdough Pancakes: https://ancestralkitchen.com/2020/10/01/sourdough-pancakes/ Sourdough Discard Soup on Alison's site: https://ancestralkitchen.com/2021/02/11/sourdough-discard-soup/ Alison's 100% Wholegrain Spelt Pizza: https://ancestralkitchen.com/2020/08/03/sourdough-wholegrain-spelt-pizza-ancestral-cook-up-august-2020/ Naturally-Fermented Staffordshire Oatcakes on Alison's site: https://ancestralkitchen.com/2023/01/14/naturally-fermented-staffordshire-oatcakes/ Traditional Scottish Oatcakes made sourdough on Alison's site: https://ancestralkitchen.com/2023/01/24/sourdough-oatcakes/ Sourdough discard crackers: http://homejoys.blogspot.com/2010/03/sourdough-crackers.html?m=1 Elly's audio on 5 top tip for wholegrain baking: https://youtu.be/ifvegcKDEkk How to shape a boule: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWXA8xFYu9A Do you have memories, documents, recipes or stories of those who cooked ancestrally? If so, we would love to hear from you! Visit our website here for how to share. Thank you for listening - we'd love to connect more: The podcast has a website here! Alison is taking a break from Instagram. You can stay in touch with her via her newsletter at Ancestral Kitchen The podcast is on Instagram at Ancestral Kitchen Podcast The podcast is mixed and the music is written and recorded by Alison's husband, Rob. Find him here: Robert Michael Kay