New year, new start, new starter

You may have noticed that I haven't been around much. It isn't that I haven't wanted to blog. I have just found it hard to put thoughts into words, or feel it worthwhile to do so. But in a new spirit of discipline and because I think if I'm going to blog again I should just get on it with it, whatever blather I come up with, rather than wait for the perfect words which probably won't come ...  anyway... in this spirit, I have decided to attempt to blog daily about whatever.

So here goes.

I've been reading Cooked by Michael Pollan and am inspired to bake in a more creative, concentrated fashion than I usually manage. To that end:

I was using leaven/wild yeast/sour dough starter in my bread last year, at least until I went on to Germany in the summer and forgot to make provision for the starter while I was away. Then I was mostly using it as an addition to my three loaf batches of bread which also included dried yeast. This time I'm going to see if I can bake on a more regular basis using just this leaven as a raising agent.

Day one and I've put flour (strong white and wholewheat), warm water, raisins and live yoghurt in a jar. I am not a purist as you can see. You can just use flour and water and some people apparently get a bit sniffy about other additions but if it's good enough for Dan Lepard, it's good enough for me.