Twenty years ago or so a treasured customer gave me a loaf of bread she had baked. She told me she was somewhat "famous" for her recipe. Once I tasted a tender slice I knew why her recipe was so popular. A little wheedling got me a cup of liquid starter and a neatly typed sheet explaining how a novice baker could create such wonder.
That starter has been in my life ever since.It lives in the refrigerator in an ancient pottery crock that my sweet mother in law once kept bacon grease in. I named the starter "Seymour." It has been moved from three homes, and across country. I've made hundreds, maybe thousands of loaves of bread since then. I've shared the starter with a number of people, none of them kept it up.
My daughter is a fan of the bread I bake. This weekend I gave her a lesson on kneading dough. She made three lovely loaves.
They rose and we baked them and they were delicious. I have treasures that my daughter will one day inherit... the diamond ring her daddy gave me, which has been on my hand most every day since, some lovely antiques, a fat notebook full of tear sheets of articles I've written. And, if she wants it, a crock full of liquid gold. A fragrant bread starter that has a history with our family that is flavor filled.
Twenty years ago or so a treasured customer gave me a loaf of bread she had baked. She told me she was somewhat "famous" for her recipe. Once I tasted a tender slice I knew why her recipe was so popular. A little wheedling got me a cup of liquid starter and a neatly typed sheet explaining how a novice baker could create such wonder.
That starter has been in my life ever since.It lives in the refrigerator in an ancient pottery crock that my sweet mother in law once kept bacon grease in. I named the starter "Seymour." It has been moved from three homes, and across country. I've made hundreds, maybe thousands of loaves of bread since then. I've shared the starter with a number of people, none of them kept it up.
My daughter is a fan of the bread I bake. This weekend I gave her a lesson on kneading dough. She made three lovely loaves.
They rose and we baked them and they were delicious. I have treasures that my daughter will one day inherit... the diamond ring her daddy gave me, which has been on my hand most every day since, some lovely antiques, a fat notebook full of tear sheets of articles I've written. And, if she wants it, a crock full of liquid gold. A fragrant bread starter that has a history with our family that is flavor filled.
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