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Hit my 100th failed loaf of sourdough last Tuesday and finally felt like a real baker
There I was staring at another hockey puck of a sourdough loaf that barely rose an inch. My starter was acting alive but the dough just sat there like a wet blanket. When I pulled it out of the oven I counted it up with my finger on the counter. That was number 100 exactly. I had been keeping a little tally on my phone notes for the past 8 months. It felt weird but somehow that milestone made me feel like I finally belonged in this baking world. All those flat bricks taught me something about hydration and patience that a perfect first loaf never could. Is it weird to celebrate a triple digit fail count like it is a badge of honor?
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jordanc327d ago
Ha! 100 failed loaves, that's like earning a black belt in bread abuse (if that's a thing). Seriously though, you're basically a master of disappointment at this point, which is way more impressive than just being good at it. Most people quit after 5 sad pucks, you're out here collecting them like Pokemon. I say frame your phone notes tally and hang it in the kitchen, that's a real badge of honor.
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cooper.phoenix7d ago
Frame that tally next to a charred hockey puck of a loaf with the caption "Level 100: Master of Disappointment"... honestly, that's a whole museum exhibit right there. You could start a whole gallery called "The Trials of Flour" with each one labeled by the exact way it failed - gummy middle, volcanic crater top, or that weird dusty gray color. People would pay admission just to see the progression from sad biscuit to something that almost looks like bread... almost.
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