The Joy of Baking My First Real Sourdough Bread

I first discovered sourdough bread when I visited an old friend who had moved to New Brunswick. She served me her homemade sourdough bread, and it was absolutely delicious. I was so impressed that she kindly shared some of her sourdough starter with me.

At that time, I didn’t know much about how to take care of a starter, and I failed to keep it alive. So, I decided to start from scratch — several times, actually — learning through a lot of trial and error.

When you read articles about sourdough baking, it often sounds easy, but in reality, it’s quite tricky. The type of flour, temperature, humidity, and even the bacteria in the air all make a big difference, so following a recipe doesn’t always work.

After many attempts, the moment I finally baked a loaf that turned out just the way I wanted, I felt such a special kind of joy — something only homemade bread can give.