Rise to the Challenge: Embracing the Sourdough Journey

The original starters

Starting off is like skipping through a field of daisies on a sunny day – all breezy and carefree. But keeping that momentum? Now, that's the true test of grit.

If you were to ask me, "Do you bake?" I'd probably laugh and shake my head. While I've always enjoyed tinkering with recipes here and there, cooking has been my go-to therapy session. The scents that swirl through the house? They're like my personal mood indicators. Pine sol? Brace yourself! But spaghetti sauce? Well, that's a whole different story.

I have a couple of baking sagas etched in my memory. One involved me rustling up bread during a hurricane scare – talk about a plot twist! The stores were cleaned out, and there I was, kneading dough like my life depended on it. It wasn't a masterpiece, but it was edible, and darn it, I was proud.

Then there was the time I decided to conquer homemade chocolate chip cookies. Batch after batch emerged from the oven, resembling everything from cupcakes to chalky discs. My poor husband, bless his soul, was the unwitting taste tester. After politely declining batch number five, I knew I had hit rock bottom.

Enter the Pandemic. While chatting with a coworker, she mentioned the "sourdough craze". Without skipping a beat, I found myself scouring Etsy for a sourdough starter – because why not take the plunge, right? Little did I know, I could've made my own, but hey, live and learn.

As I meticulously followed the starter's instructions, I was hooked – line, sinker, and sourdough. I even doled out bits of my starter as Christmas presents that year. But let's be real: not every loaf emerged from the oven as a golden-brown triumph. There were flops, tosses, and one memorable do-over when my starter decided to stage a silent protest.

Taking that initial leap? Easy peasy. It's the marathon that follows that truly tests you. Along this sourdough escapade, I've stumbled, fallen, and picked myself up more times than I care to count. But you know what? Each misstep, every wonky loaf, has taught me something invaluable.

Life, my friends, is all about the journey. It's about embracing the mishaps and reveling in the victories. So, if you find yourself knee-deep in flour and doubt, remember this: pay attention to every hiccup, savor every triumph, and let them fuel your fire.

Consider this your invitation – nay, your challenge – to join me on this wild sourdough ride. Because in the end, it's not about the perfect loaf. It's about the messy, glorious journey that unfolds with every rise and fall. Let's keep going, shall we?