As a stay at home mom of 4 1/2 years now, I often find myself missing the accomplishment I’d feel from a hard day’s work. Don’t get me wrong, motherhood is the hardest most rewarding work I’ve ever done, but you don’t get to see the immediate results of your hard labor. I love being home with my kids. However, watching too much TV, feeding 3 children copious snacks, making sure everyone sees the sun at least once a day, and stays alive just isn’t always as tangibly rewarding.
So when my dearest friend offered me a sourdough starter I thought, “What the heck maybe I need a hobby.” To be honest I accidentally left my starter in the car and thought I killed it. Maybe I didnt need a new hobby, maybe I had no time and energy to be another living thing’s snack bitch. However I rescued my hangry accidic smelling starter, and I fed it flour and water every night for for 3 weeks. I was too intimidated to even try to make bread. I left it unnamed sure I would kill it. I soon was hooked though and began making discard pancakes, crackers, and cookies. I researched every night to gear up to make a loaf.
The time came to attempt my first loaf. If you know anything about sourdough bread, is that it’s an all day event! I could not get the timing right, and stayed up till 11pm trying to bulk ferment my dough. According to my husband, something edible was produced. I however am gluten free and unable to partake. I could only smell and salivate. The second loaf was much the same. The third loaf I worked on all day at my mom’s house. I was still waiting for the bulk fermentation to complete so I took it to church with me. I think the extra dose of the Holy Spirit must have helped because it was my most beautiful loaf yet. I made a couple gluten free attempts in there but they were fairly hard crusted, still devoured all the same. You can’t put gluten free bread of any sort in front of someone who can’t eat bread on the regular and not expect it to be devoured. It took me 1 delicious day.
I found sourdough bread making to be a bit of a science project. Trial, error, and late night research my companions. Unfortunately as my hobby went on, mom life intermingled. I found myself starting the bread only to be doing stretch and folds amidst cleaning up vomit, diarrhea, and diaper changes. Needless to say my hands became very dry from the copious amount of scrubbing that took place before I again plunged them into the dough. I promptly named my starter Lucifer as something always goes amiss.
On Easter, again amidst sickness in our family, I produced the most beautiful loaf yet. I had learned a crucial element was missing, I was using the wrong type of flour. As soon as I fixed my problem, oh the blisters on that loaf, all I can say is I was so proud of my fourth child. She was renamed Luci that day.
The sheer accomplishment I have felt from taking water, flour, and salt and making something lovely has been addicting. Being the introvert I am, my most favorite time of day is when everyone is asleep, my house is quiet, and I get to measure out some flour and water. My last activity before I get some much needed mom sleep, or attempted sleep I should say. So I have decided to capture my adventures with sourdough bread making and mom life here. I have much to learn still in both worlds! Maybe I will post just to make memories for myself, or maybe as a laugh or inspiration to others as well.
Something From Nothing 