Near the beginning of March, I decided to take the plunge into the world of sourdough. Armed with flour, water, and a whole lot of curiosity, I mixed up my very first starter. Those first days felt a bit like caring for a new pet – feeding it daily, watching for bubbles, and wondering if I was doing it right.
Meet Luke Dough-walker
After diving into the sourdough community, I learned that every starter is “required” to have a name.
Interested in my container? I got it here.
By the end of March, I baked my very first loaf. It wasn’t perfect – the crust was a little lighter than I was hoping for, the scoring wasn’t quite deep enough to give me a nice “ear”, and the crumb was a bit tighter than the dreamy open holes I had seen online. But the smell that filled my kitchen, the crackle of the crust, and that first tangy bite were enough to hook me for life.
Since then, it’s been a true learning curve, with plenty of ups and downs. Some loaves have been airy and beautiful, others… a bit dense and stubborn. I’ve had days where I felt like I was finally “getting it” and others where I wondered if my starter was plotting against me.
But each loaf teaches me something – whether it’s about fermentation times, hydration levels, shaping techniques, or simply being patient (still my hardest skill to master). The joy comes not just from the perfect loaves (which are few and far between), but from the process itself: the feel of the dough, the rhythm of the stretch and folds, and the anticipation as the bread bakes.
I’m still very new to sourdough, and that’s okay. This is a craft that rewards practice, patience, and a willingness to fail forward. Every bake brings me one step closer to my ideal loaf – and in the meantime, my family and friends get to enjoy a lot of fresh bread (only the MASSIVE “flops” go into the trash bin).
So here’s to more bubbly starters, more ear-lifting crusts, and more moments of joy in the kitchen. My sourdough journey has just begun, and I can’t wait to see where it takes me next.
