Rip on the daily…
‘before yeasts was identified and commercialised, ordinary people fed themselves with what we now call ‘sourdough’ bread and did so without the benefit of literacy, numeracy or celebrity chefs. So it really shouldn’t be beyond us now.
[Andrew Whitley, p12 Do Sourdough, Do Book co]
Get it down you…
What follows is me following up on my commitment to passing on our bread culture to some dear colleagues who are moving on from Camas Tuath this week…
What I love about the starter is that is has been used and refreshed by the hands that are taking it forward. Together we’ve enabled, on our respective cooking shifts, rocking delicious loaves on the daily, our kneading riddims having nourished our selves and others; with the huge sacks of organic flour keeping it affordable whilst supporting a sustainable agriculture.
It quite literally has a bit of each of us in it, and at the time of writing we have a slice or five in us, so I can’t think of a better gift to celebrate the less tangible but equally live culture we have created down the track together this summer.
[Sandor Katz, p94 Wild Fermentation, Chelsea Green publishers]‘Many bakers I have known feel that bread making is a spiritual exercise that connects them to life forces. I quite agree: Like any ferment, bread requires the harnessing and cultivation of lifeforces.’
The Recipe 
Many thanks to my colleague Brig Vogt for producing this graphical recipe which without a doubt has turned our good winter idea into a spring, summer and autumnal edible reality!
Ring the anchor…
I’m reminding you of your commitment to ring your anchor, which hopefully will reduce the stress of integration into a world beyond Camas. And, this…
‘Sourdoughs don’t need regular feeding’. They are not like pets or children, requiring three square meals a day to thrive. Unlike Mammals, microorganisms such as yeasts and bacteria do not die when they run short of food. They slow down, naturally, and in some cases produce spores that can survive for years- rather like weed seeds buried in undisturbed soil…what sourdough starters do need, when you want to make bread with them; is refreshing.’
[Andrew Whitley, p12 Do Sourdough, Do Book co]
Irreverent closing moment.
I’m unsure how it is with the fish, ( and please let me know if you figure that one out) but i think we can all agree that, given enough practice in the right conditions, the whole loaves phenomena is a piece of piss right? Go well you beautiful motley cru… xxx
