My Sourdough Journey

I got into sourdough because of a trip to the farmers' market with my roommate one day. Paying $12 for a loaf of bread was what pushed me to start making sourdough myself. I later learned that the price was actually justifiable—but as a broke college student, I wanted to save some money.

the farmers market in downtown state college, PA

the bread we bought :) looked good and it was pretty good

My roommate Heather buying the bread loaf from a coffee stand

That day at the market, I was getting coffee when I noticed a basket filled with loaves of bread wrapped in paper. I picked one up, asked for the price, and was told it was $11. My roommate and I side-eyed each other, realizing we had just split a $6 loaf of bread. But when we got home and sliced into it, one bite was all it took—we both looked at each other and said, “Dang, this bread is pretty good.”

From that moment, I was determined to learn how to make it myself. That curiosity led me to share my sourdough journey online—so if you’re interested in learning about sourdough or how to make it, follow along for more!

The first successful bread loaf i made! two weeks after my first fail

The First Success: Chocolate Bread

My first successful sourdough loaf was a Halloween experiment during my senior year of college. For some reason, my first loaf was severely under-proofed and flat, but when I made this dark chocolate one on a whim, it came out beautiful—light, fluffy, with actual holes and texture.

I gave that loaf to my roommate’s family on his way home after his grandma passed that day. Awkwardly enough, I had scored a Jack Skellington face on top—so I just hoped the message and thought landed well, and not as some ominous bread omen.

Troubleshooting and Trying Again

After the first failure and the chocolate bread success, I didn’t touch my sourdough starter again for a while—honestly, out of fear of failure. I was sitting at a 50/50 win-lose ratio and didn’t want to try something I wasn’t good at. Looking back now, that was foolish, especially since I now bake sourdough for people in my church and community through my small bakery business.

my first sourdough loaf I most defiantly didn't score deep enough

The voice of doubt is strong if you let it win. I’ve learned to take that first negative thought captive before it takes me.

This reminded me of a sermon my pastor once gave about replacing wrong thoughts:

“I am not perfect, but God is working in me and changing me.” — Philippians 1:6

What I’ve Learned from Making Sourdough Bread

This was the start of my sourdough journey—my very first loaf, which turned out super dense. I’m honestly surprised it even had a few bubbles in the crumb since I made it with a week-old starter.

pan de cristal: also known as glass bread! 100% hydration, which was a delightful bread experiment and learning opportunity.

Sourdough has taught me several surprising lessons: patience, the labor of love, and that growth isn’t always linear.

Good bread takes time—but not necessarily a lot of work. Most of sourdough-making is simply waiting, a reminder that good things often take time to come to fruition.

And while you can spend hours perfecting an aesthetic, picture-perfect loaf, you can also make sourdough in a pinch—with just one set of stretches and folds, mixed in the morning—and still end up with something edible, tasty, and full of the benefits of natural fermentation.

dark chocolate sourdough bread i made again for Halloween

Later on, I found out I was gluten-intolerant (not severely—just right on the cusp) after a blood test. Sourdough, however, was something I could digest without painful bloating or indigestion. Not only did sourdough teach me patience, attention to detail, and how to let go of fear, but it was also beneficial for my health.

Because of that, I realized:

“God is working all things together for my good.” — Romans 8:28

A Few Beginner Tips for Better Loaves

1. Feed your starter — your levain is alive! It’s the natural yeast that makes sourdough special.

2. Don’t underproof — let the dough ferment fully. My biggest mistake early on was never giving it enough time. I once went months before realizing I’d never done a proper bulk ferment!

3. Try mixing flours — whole wheat or rye adds great flavor, but it can make the loaf denser, so increase hydration accordingly.

4. Experiment with flavors — add herbs, spices, nuts, or chocolate! Sourdough is a canvas for creativity.

5. Steam matters — steam helps with oven spring and a crisp crust. Some bakers add ice cubes to their Dutch ovens for steam, but be careful: enameled cast iron can crack from thermal shock. If you use raw cast iron, you’ll have more tolerance for temperature changes—but still proceed with caution.

This post marks the beginning of my sourdough series — where I’ll dive deeper into the art and science of breadmaking: fermentation, shaping, proofing, and more.

focaccia sourdough recipe posted!

Stay tuned for upcoming posts like:

• Fermentation & Dough Development: Why Waiting Matters in Sourdough

• Overproofed Bread: Oops or Opportunity?

• Big Holes in Sourdough: Why We Love Them

• Why Shape Dough? From Preshape to Final

• The Science of Steam: Why Ice Works Best in a Dutch Oven

Because at the end of the day, sourdough isn’t just about bread — it’s about growth, patience, and the small miracles that happen when you give things time.