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I called sourdough a waste of time until my starter actually worked

After three failed attempts over six months, I finally kept a starter alive in my kitchen in Phoenix. The fourth batch rose perfectly and made a loaf that didn't taste like a brick. Who else thought this was just a fad until they got a real result?
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3 Comments
reese_hayes71
Oh man, I was totally in the same boat. My first few starters were complete disasters. That first good loaf feels like a miracle, right? What are you baking next?
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rowanhernandez
Complete disasters" is putting it lightly. What finally made it click for you?
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bennett.harper
Right, "complete disasters" is the perfect way to put it. I was with @rowanhernandez on this, totally ready to give up. My starter just smelled like old feet for weeks. The game changer for me was ignoring half the advice online and just using whole wheat flour from the start. It finally got bubbly and stopped being a sad, wet lump. That first good loaf really does feel like you cracked a secret code.
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