It's been years, maybe decades, since I've attempted sourdough bread. My husband has been craving the stuff, though, so we bought some San Francisco starter from Linda and followed all her directions to a "tee." Linda has the best, most complete directions for making sourdough I've seen. She also has a FAQ that covers just about everything. Even if you've never tried baking sourdough bread before, you will be able to turn out a delicious loaf by following her directions.
Yes, yes, I know the traditional shape is round, but my husband wanted it loaf-shaped so we could make sandwiches. It turned out very well, if I do say so myself. It had a nice, chewy crust, a tender, moist crumb, and lots of nooks and crannies for all the melted butter to slide into. I didn't go to all that work for four days to wait for the loaf to cool before I tasted it, so I cut into it while it was still hot enough to melt butter. The starter is now fully activated (after the 3 days initial activation period), so now I can make sourdough bread when I feel like it. Just in time for cold weather. I like baking in cold weather.
