Old timer at the bakery supply store told me my starter was too young

I was grabbing a new proofing basket and this guy who's been baking since the 80s said I should let my sourdough starter ferment at least 3 more days before using it. Now I'm wondering if my flat loaves were just me being impatient the whole time. Has anyone else got advice that totally changed their fermentation game?

2 comments

2 Comments

henryreed1mo ago

Wow, that knife trick is actually a solid one @xena_rivera63. I've done the coffee mug thing myself and it works better than you'd expect for a quick fix. But back to your starter question, yeah, three days can make a big difference honestly. I've found that letting it go a bit longer helps build more of that tangy flavor and gives the bubbles more structure. Your milage may vary, but I'd say give the old timer's advice a shot for a batch and see if your loaves come out taller.

xena_rivera631mo ago

An old timer at my local hardware store once told me my bread knife was too dull. Said I should sharpen it on the bottom of a coffee mug. Knife works fine now but now my starter is in time out for being too young I guess.