THE WAIT & THE RISE

THE BASICS OF MAKING SOURDOUGH AND THE WAYS THE PROCESS CAN STRETCH AND SHAPE US

- JOANNA GAINES,CARSON DOWNING,ANNA CORNETT,BELLA JOHNSON

It's no surprise that time in the kitchen always fills my cup, and I've got a particular love for baking (and butter). But it wasn't until recently-and I know I'm late to the game on this that I finally attempted something I had historically avoided: making sourdough. The process just seemed too daunting to me. But then a friend gave me her starter, almost as a gentle nudge to say, "You've got this." To my surprise, my motherly instinct to nurture won over my intimidation, and I finally decided to give this whole sourdough thing a shot.

Of all the endeavors I've attempted in the kitchen, none has felt more experimental-as in, scientifically, loaded with trial and error-than this. I saw my friend's starter as this precious baby that needed around-the-clock attention and feeding.

And if I'm being honest, I kind of swooned at the chance to care for it. For a while there, it wasn't uncommon to see me walking into the office with my jars of starter, a bowl of dough riding passenger in the car, or me up at 2 a.m. for a feeding because I thought that's what was required to keep it alive. It's funny to look back now... clearly, I went a little overboard. But finding my rhythm felt like playing double Dutch-trying to get the timing just right so I could jump in without throwing everything off course.

After reading a lot of blogs and getting advice from close friends who know what they're doing, I've finally figured out a simpler schedule that works well for me (no more 2 a.m. feedings!), and I now have a handful of back-pocket recipes that my family asks for weekly. Even Ella, our eldest daughter who's away at college, recently called to see if I could overnight her a loaf of my homemade sourdough.