The FastDay Forum

Bakery bits also do plastic scrapers, which are easier to use when dealing with a wet dough.

BBT053 - I use Bakery Bits too. Excellent site for bakers - their bannetons are great and I got my panettone cases from there too. I also follow Dan Lepard's methods - no knead is great! I haven't made a fully spelt sourdough - just a half/half with hazelnuts and raisins which is gorgeous.

Suela - good luck with the focaccia. Let me know how it goes.

[janeg]

Applespider, thanks you very much for sharing your recipe and pictures-
and for the generous offer of the starter. Sadly, I'm no where near you so I'll follow the instructions and start one off. After the holidays next week.
It looks lovely and does sound quite easy.
Yummy
looking forward to trying out something new

I don't have any problem with wheat products but I have a massive problem with water retention and I take medication for it, once a week (sometimes twice, sometimes once in a fortnight; it depends) or I'll explode.
There are a few herbs that help with that; verbena is very good, taraxaco also and Greeks swear on the stocks of cherries!!! Boil them and drink the water.

Well I got my sourdough loaf yesterday. It was a lovely day, wandering around the stalls eating samples of everything, including the sourdough loaf which tasted slightly different, lighter or maybe blander in flavour than normal yeast based bread. But I ate a some ordinary bread yesterday so it wouldn't be fair to do the experiment with a belly full of yeast byproducts.

Now today is a fast day so I won't be eating it today either, I hope it keeps well for tomorrow. Any tips for keeping the sourdough loaf? I don't have any room in my freezer or it would have been sliced and popped in there already. At the moment its just wrapped in paper, would a plastic bag be better?

Nope, paper is best. Just leave it out. My loves keep for ages, though you might want to toast it then.

*drool* toast, you had to mention toast didn't you.

Off topic here, but have you tried making a potato focacia, so devine. It has mashed potato folded through the dough. If there is one in house it wouldn't last 5 minutes.

[janeg]

mmmmm, potato and rosemary bread. Heavenly and doesn't last at all in this house. Not tried it as a focaccia though- interesting
I'm hungry- it's a fast day

Glad you picked up a sourdough and I hope you enjoy it. Paper is best although BBT is right, you might end up toasting some. I bake mine, cut it into big chunks (or slices) and freeze it - I need a bigger freezer really!

Haven't made potato focaccia - one to add to the list perhaps. I made an olive fougasse (one of those loaves that look a little like a leaf with holes in it) this weekend... lots of lovely crusty bits! Had quite a bit of it for dinner along with some celeriac slaw.

olive fougasse

I really need my fast day tomorrow!

No room in my freezer or I would have done it.
But that olive foccia looks very rippable and dunkable if you get my drift. There is an olive oil and balsamic dip just made for it.

What a yummy thread!! I bake my own sourdough, only buy sliced bread for the fussy children. I have relatives who normally avoid bread due to bad reactions, however when they visit they eat loads of my sourdough bread with no problems at all.