Sourdough, week three

Three weeks ago I mixed flour and water in a jar and waited. For the first few days nothing happened, then something happened that smelled like nail varnish, and then, around day nine, it started to smell like bread. The starter now lives on the kitchen counter and is called Dough Nothing. I regret nothing.

What has worked

Feeding it at the same time every morning, with equal weights of flour and water, and keeping it somewhere that isn't next to the window. Warmth matters more than anything I read about flour brands.

What hasn't

My first two loaves were flat, dense and faintly sad. The third was better: an overnight rise in the fridge, a very hot oven, and a lid on the pot for the first twenty minutes. It had an actual crust. I took a photo of it, which I have decided not to post, because it looks better in my memory.

Next week: trying a little rye in the mix, and learning to be patient with the shaping.