DEAR FORKFUL

DEAR FORKFUL,

I want to jump on the sourdough bread bandwagon, like any self-respecting Melbourne hipster, but my starter is limp and simply won’t bubble. What am I doing wrong?

Help!

Love,

Gassed Out.

DEAR GASSED OUT,

Sorry to hear that your first attempt was a fizzer! Making a sourdough starter for the first time can require a bit of trial-and-error, but there are a few things you can try to bring it to life. Your starter could just be a late bloomer. Healthy sourdough starters should be bubbly and active, containing organisms that feed off the flour to create gases, which in turn create bubbles. If you don’t have any bubbles yet, it may require more time to develop—the bubbling action should be visible within four to twelve hours after feeding.

Alternatively, your starter might just need a little more love. Increasing the frequency of feedings will ensure that the cultures in your starter aren’t going hungry. If you’re feeding your starter every twelve hours, switch to feeding every eight to ten hours.

It’s also possible that your starter has begun to feel like it’s been left out in the cold. At this stage, sourdough starters love to be warm and cosy, so check the temperature where you’re storing it. Sourdough likes a temperature between 21 to 29 °C.

Hopefully, this helps you get your starter alive and bubbling. Don’t give up—with a few minor adjustments you too can nurture your own gassy sourdough starter baby and live the Melbourne hipster lifestyle of your wildest dreams. Enjoy!

P.S. Worst-case scenario, there are some great sourdough bakeries around Melbourne. Comfort yourself with some of their baked delights, while you wait for your own starter to grow.

Love,

Foodie Agony Aunt

Knead Bakers

396 Burwood Road, Hawthorn

Noisette Port Melbourne

84 Bay Street, Port Melbourne

Tivoli Road Bakery

3 Tivoli Road, South Yarra

Falco Bakery

288 Smith Street, Collingwood