The Wonders of Sourdough

Lunch today was a culinary explosion, all the better because it was a long time in gestation. It was also one of the simplest meals that you could want, home made sourdough bread and pate. Our son had been on a bread-making course last year and as a result baked some great sourdough bread. Not to be left out Marion took up the challenge with gusto, and challenge it was….

The sourdough stuck to the baking pan, it was too wet, it did not rise, and although it was generally edible it did not reach the culinary heights. There were lengthy consultations with the first-born. Usually this resulted in one area of improvement with something else failing. In the end cross words were spoken “I am never going to bake sourdough again”. This from a normal patient and expert cook was really shocking.

So this weekends baking was the last attempt. Much care was put into the preparation and times were adhered to exactly. To me it was obvious before the creation emerged from the oven that all was well. The smells were fantastic, and to me it looked perfect through the oven door. Then the moment arrived, the finished loaf was paraded from the oven and turned on to the baking tray, and it looked magnificent. Then the next test, the knife sliced through the loaf to show a perfect consistency with just the correct aeration.

The final test – the taste, it was fantastic, like a good wine the taste lingered in the mouth. It was the perfect accompaniment for some excellent homemade chicken pate, what a lunch. The only downside was that it was so popular, and as second born was sharing that the next loaf will have to be prepared immediately!!!! Also it would probably be good with a good bitter beer, but I was driving – another time.