Conquer this once and for all with the Queen of Sourdough, Holly Davis
(captured in this instance making sourdough foccacia!)
Hello everyone,
It occurs to me that from time to time, we’re all inclined to attend a workshop as an utter newbie to the topic at hand – attracted to a concept and eager to learn, but without any previous foundation upon which to layer a newfound skill. (I see it here over and again…and delight in seeing the confidence build in peeps returning for a second round). When I invited Holly Davis here last year to teach those fabulous Sourdough Workshops, I personally had tried and failed to raise a starter during the dreaded virus time…and so all the next part of the process at the workshop was new to me…as I know it was to most of the participants (whilst a handful were here to sharpen their skills – most were keen as mustard but fresh as daisies).
The making of Sourdough is a skill (I believe) we all just ought to have…like second nature. And yet (as I didn’t see every part of the process when Holly was here – I was out the back, setting tables…and a million other things…the details to be learned are for you, not me, so I only ever catch half glimpses at any given workshop!) I cannot seem to get it right! I know it’s one of those things that once you crack it, you wonder how on earth you could not have (in the way that, since Holly’s visit I’ve incorporated the hitherto unknown practice of preparing a shot of velvet-smooth keffir milk into my daily routine and diet…where for the first week I was all at sea with those precious grains!).
I am now an absolute whizz at feeding Joseph, the starter Holly shared (in either fresh or dehydrated form) with every participant last year (named after her father who raised her!). I take my generation of Joseph with great surety from the fridge each Friday morning, measure and mix rye flour, water and a little of Joseph, then note his steady progress whenever he happens to catch my eye during the day, as he slowly expands and bubbles develop. When he’s done what he should, I put a lid on him and pop him back from whence he came. No problem is Joseph: five minutes of attention once a week and he interferes otherwise not one iota with my life.
I can even manage to make the leaven: part two of the process seems to go particularly well. But part three simply falls apart (and quite honestly I’m not that bad a kitchen hand!). I’ve thrice made a batch of sourdough pikelets now (Larry even requests them but I’m not putting in that effort for the sake of pikelets!).
I love bread…and I want to conquer this anomaly. I also know it’s not just me! So…unlike last year’s workshops which were full to the brim with excitement and multiple recipes, Holly and I invite you to come and hang out quietly with us for the day…so we can make one loaf of Sourdough in real time: from leaven to loaf. We’ll stretch and fold together, take a break…and stretch and fold together again. While we wait for the dough to prove, we’ll have a kitchen gardening basics and taste testing expedition…we’ll even pick a little something to contribute towards our picnic lunch. This way you will see…in real time, how you can get on with your life without the Sourdough taking over! Between another stretch and fold, Holly will run you through the starter feeding process and the leaven-making one too (but in the real time loaf-making, those tasks would have been carried out during the previous two days).
It will be a slow day. You can lie on the grass and stare at the clouds between activites if you like! It will be a day for questions and conversation. We will share a very simple picnic lunch and we’ll all hang on Holly’s every word and action. We’ll each get to pitch in…folding, shaping. And go home confident we can crack this! (Luckily Holly will prepare a couple of loaves ready for baking that morning so we don’t starve in the process!).
So…I am just delighted to invite you to join me and HOLLY DAVIS for a TROUBLESHOOTING SOURDOUGH WORKSHOP on SATURDAY 25 MAY. We’ll ask you to arrive a bit earlier than usual – a 9am start so we can honestly carry out the process in real time.
How we hope you will join us…for a day filled with the warming aroma of bread making and baking…alongside Holly’s vast knowledge and lovely sense of humour. I’ve no doubt this will be a day to treasure.
All the details and the booking form are here and if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to send me a message.
Warmest wishes
Mickey
ps there are a few places still available at this coming Saturday’s spontaneous Autumn Morning in the Kitchen Garden – Saturday 27 April. It’s such a timely opportunity to see and learn and I’d love for you to join the half dozen coming along! All the details are here.
