Last October, I visited my son in Washington, D.C. His roommate is quite the baker and he generously shared some sourdough starter with me. I really didn’t know anything about this white, gooey substance, but I carefully carried it back in my suitcase to Phoenix. I was familiar with making bread from commercial yeast, but I had no clue about starter. My experience with sourdough bread was buying it at the grocery store.

What is Sourdough Starter?

I feed the starter every week on Sundays. What does that even mean? A sourdough starter, also called levain, is a fermented dough filled with natural, wild yeast and a bacteria called lactobacilli. It’s a living substance.

The starter is what makes sourdough bread rise. Instead of using active dry yeast like in other bread recipes, sourdough bread uses a starter. Until the time of the development of commercial yeasts, all leavened bread was made using naturally occurring yeasts – i.e. all bread was sourdough, with it’s slower raise. A starter made with the traditional sourdough method is often created organically by combining flour and water, which is allowed to ferment by airborne yeast. Think organic.

Sourdough Starter History

The ancient Egyptians are credited with making the first leavened bread. Perhaps a batch of dough was allowed to stand before it was baked. Wild yeast cells settled in and grew, producing tiny bubbles of carbon dioxide and making the dough rise. The bread was softer and more palatable, so it became the custom to let the dough stand for some time before baking. This technique was hit or miss, however, because on some days, the air bore no suitable yeast.

Later, a baker discovered that a little dough raised in this manner could be used as a starter for the next batch of bread. The portion of bread kept to start the next batch was called leaven; it was the forerunner of today`s sourdough bread.

Starter vs. Commercial Yeast

In 1938, commercial yeast was made available. Instant yeast appeared on the market in 1973. Here is what I didn’t realize. Commercial yeast plays an important role in industrialized bread making. But if you want natural strains of yeast, that haven’t been manipulated in a way that suits commercially produced bread, then using starter is the organic answer. The end product is significantly better.

According to Healthline, sourdough bread is a great alternative to conventional bread. Its lower phytate levels make it more nutritious and easier to digest. Sourdough bread also seems less likely to spike your blood sugar levels, which makes it an option for those monitoring their blood sugar.

The Bread Making Process

I am a novice sourdough bread maker. Each time I make bread I learn something new. The process starts the night before. I take a small amount of my starter, add both bread and whole wheat flour and water and let it sit for 12 hours. The bubbly, expanded end product is called leaven.

The next day, I mix this with more flour, water and salt and then over the next 8-10 hours, after multiple turns and folds, the dough is ready to bake. During this process, I can add different ingredients too.

Bread Baking Resources

My go-to bread bible is Tartine Bread by Chad Robertson. Chad literally went around the world seeking the best bread and baking style. Tartine Bakery in San Francisco is so popular they sell out within an hour almost every day.

Every loaf I have made since October has been with the help and guidance of this book. If you are looking to read about one man’s passion and also have an extensive step-by-step guide to making bread, invest in this book.

The Breads I’ve made to date

My first few loaves were the standard sourdough. And then I branched out to Olive Walnut, Cranberry Walnut, Dried Cherry and Pistachio, Polenta and Pepitas, Lemon, Rosemary and Gruyere, pizza dough and baguettes.

The benefits

Is using commercial yeast easier? Absolutely. Back in October 2016, I posted this recipe for an easy, no-fail artisan bread using commercial yeast. And it is a delicious bread. So why make bread from starter that takes nearly 24 hours before you can reap the benefits?

The process of fermentation has been proven to be beneficial for good gut health. The long fermentation process of making sourdough releases nutrients like iron, zinc, magnesium, antioxidants, folic acid and other B vitamins. The natural way this occurs allows our bodies to process them more easily.

There is something extraordinary about taking 4 ingredients and turning it into something with which you can feed others. The time consuming transformation from a shaggy, unattractive blob to a soft, billowy dough, while using your hands to turn and fold, is magical.

Yesterday I made baguettes for the first time with my daughter, Elisabeth. She watched the chemistry of the ingredients changing consistency and ultimately becoming 3 large baguettes. Even though it took all day she appreciated the worth of the wait.

In Conclusion

Each time I bake this bread, it is different based on the humidity, temperature and conditions. No two loaves are the same. I love knowing that we are participating in a process that has fed generations of people before us. I find it all a bit romantic.

My neighbor, Marjane, has a sourdough starter she has been feeding for 50 years! A fellow teacher friend shared it with her in the 1960s. I find this astounding AND she offered to share some with me!

Giving someone the gift of bread is a demonstration of your time and love. Plus look how cute you can make the presentation.

While most of us are staying at home for the next month, it might be an opportune time to try making your own starter and bread. If you live in Phoenix, I am happy to share some of my starter. For some reason, getting back to basics right now helps me feel grounded and more stable.

It’s a beautiful day out there and hopefully, wherever you are, you and your family are healthy and safe. Keep the faith!

Whether you are Irish or not, I believe we all need the luck of the Irish right now! St. Patrick’s Day is special in our home as it is the birthday of both my daughter and my mother. To learn more about the history of this holiday, please click here . Today, I have two recipes for you: Guinness Pie and Baileys Irish cream cheesecake.

Last year, I made both of these recipes and since they were so delicious, I made them again! The original recipe for Guinness Pie was published in the New York Times but if you try and get it online, they make you pay for a weekly subscription. Not sure how I scored a paper copy of it, but the printable recipe is below. I will provide a link to the cheesecake recipe.

If you need a pie crust shortcut, I strongly recommend Trader Joe’s pie crust. It’s in the freezer section and I always have a couple on hand. It is the best 2nd choice to homemade.

Before I start any recipe, I gather all my ingredients.

Since this recipe requires a bit of chopping, having sharp knives is important. The sharper the knife the safer the chop.

With all the vegetables chopped and ready to go, cooking commences.

Carrots, celery, onion, garlic, mushrooms are cooked in a oven-safe pot. I used my one and only La Creuset pot~~which I love (and wish I had a few more!). While this cooks, your kitchen will smell so good!

The recipe calls for 3 pounds of brisket. Though it does not instruct to trim the fat from the brisket, I did~~about 7 oz. of it. The fresh rosemary was clipped from the garden. If you don’t have an herb garden, I really encourage you to have fresh herbs in a pot. Simple pleasures.

The recipe also calls for 4 cups of stout beer. I had two bottles of Guinness but when I measured it, the volume was only 3 cups. However, the beer did cover the beef in the pot, so I didn’t add more.

What makes this stew so delicious, is that, after sautéing all the vegetables and beef, it is slow-baked in the oven for 2 1/2 hours. After the appropriate baking time, freshly shredded cheddar cheese is added (or trotter gear, if you have it).

The dough can be placed in either a 8-inch square Pyrex dish or a pie pan. I used a 9″ deep dish glass pie dish. After I added the beef stew, I put the remaining cheddar cheese on top and then added a basketweave top crust using different widths of dough. With the leftover dough, I used shamrock cookie cutters for a decorative touch.

Using green food coloring, I painted the shamrocks with a pastry brush. This was the first time I had done this and was rather pleased with the results.

This is such a flavorful, hearty pie, which is perfect for this time of year. Though the recipe yields 6 servings, I could easily get 8 out of the pie.

The next recipe is very decadent but such a festive dessert for St. Patrick’s Day. Just a note: The recipe recommends a 5 hour refrigeration time so plan accordingly. Here is the direct link to the cheesecake recipe~~click here.

For the crust, put whole Oreo cookies in the Cuisinart to get 2 cups of crumbs~~approximately 18 to 20 cookies. Mix in melted butter.

The recipe tells you to put the crumbs in a spring form pan, yet isn’t clear on if they only go on the bottom or up the sides. Keep the crust on the bottom (per the pictures on the link). Bake for 8-10 minutes.

The directions were a little vague about wrapping the springform pan. I wrapped the bottom and the sides with double foil to make sure no water would enter during the hot bath.

Once the cheesecake is finished baking and has cooled, it needs to be refrigerated for at least 5 hours or overnight. I let mine cool overnight and made the chocolate ganache the next day.

This picture below is of the cheesecake from last year. My ganache is much shinier this year but since I haven’t cut into it yet, I wanted to show you what a slice looked like! I hope you try both recipes~~guarantee you will love them!

As always, I hope you are faring well with all the uncertainty. But we all know, that this too will pass. Please take care of your health and well-being as the roses will continue to bloom and the sun will rise. Being stressed certainly doesn’t help. It actually reduces your immune system. Kindness, laughter and hope haven’t been cancelled and I’m determined to stay focused and positive. Sending happy thoughts your way.

It’s been a little over a month since we made preserved lemons (hopefully together!) and it’s time to try a new recipe. If you missed the blog post about this, please click here. As you recall, my first attempt at making preserved lemons was a failure. But inspired by a friend who uses them all the time, I decided to give it another go.

Dutifully, I have shaken the jar daily and I am excited to see what has transpired since I last squashed these lemons into the jar. The recipe I am sharing today is from my friend, Kim, who is an excellent cook. She read my blog post about Preserved Lemons and shared one of her favorite recipes. She is one of those friends who is so talented in just about EVERYTHING she does, so I knew this recipe, Farfalle Pasta with Lemon Chicken and Herb Salad from Joanne Weir would be a winner.

The ingredients are so Mediterranean~~olive oil, fresh herbs, pasta and preserved lemons. The colors alone made me happy! The chicken stock that I favor is the one from Costco. In this recipe you will boil 5 cups down to 1 1/4 cups so keep an eye on the pan. The reduced broth is mixed with garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and spices.

Most of the herbs came straight from my garden ~~Italian parsley, cilantro and mint. Basil doesn’t do well here in the winter so that was purchased at Safeway, as was the baby arugula.

You have the option to either grill the chicken or use the cooktop. I used the grill. Cook the chicken to a golden brown. Don’t be distracted like I was and char it a bit more than necessary. (But you can cut those parts off!)

Thinly slice the chicken and reserve.

I was excited to dig into the Preserved Lemons to see what magic took place over the last 4 weeks.

The noticeable difference was the rinds are softer (and salty!). The recipe calls for 1 preserved lemon. Pull away the pulp and discard.

Thoroughly wash the preserved lemon peel. This removes most of the salt and brine.

Cut up the peel in a 1/4″ dice. I cut mine a bit too small and would make them bigger next time because they are so flavorful.

Boil the pasta. I just love farfalle~~such fun, cute bowties! Cook until al dente (which is less time than the package suggests).

Toss all the ingredients together and season with salt and pepper. Not only is this a yummy, attractive dish, but it has plenty of greens and protein too.

The flavor of the preserved lemons was tart and salty~~a tasty zing that is a bit unexpected and works beautifully with all the other flavors.

Some changes I might make to the recipe: The Italian parsley leaves from the garden were big and I would have torn them up a bit more. The recipe calls for cilantro sprigs, but I just used the leaves. I might chop the chicken up into smaller pieces too, but the slices worked well. If you wanted more crunch, perhaps pine nuts would be a fun addition!

Do you have a preserved lemon recipe you would like to share? I may post another one that I saw in the New York Times that involves fish. We have to use up our lemons! But now after tasting them, I would add them to my salads or eggs~~the possibilities are endless! This is a great batch and I am so glad I made them! (Thank you, Ret!)

Did this week fly by for everyone??!!What are you doing with the extra Leap Year day? Have a terrific Saturday!

This week began with my husband going out of town for 4 days. Do I tackle a big project or sit and watch chick flicks and relax? As his plane was departing I was already pulling things out of the “does a hoarder live here?” garage. Two out of the 3 bays are relatively organized, but this one was the dumping site for just about anything. It is embarrassing to show you this picture but here it is.

For 3 full days, I worked countless hours, sorting and organizing and I only put a dent in it. I’m not sure if it was standing on the concrete floor but I was so sore and fatigued after doing this. But I’ve made good progress and now there is some breathing room to work in. How one collects so much stuff, I do not know.

With any luck, I’m hoping the garage project will be finished before the brutal summer heat.

Do you remember I planted a bulb garden in September? In addition to dividing all my irises, I planted nearly 450 bulbs. See post here. I am excited to report that the hyacinths are already showing their purple flowers. The tulips and alliums are breaking ground too!

Since the frost is behind us, it’s time to start planting the Spring garden. The winter vegetables are past their prime. The broccoli and bok choy are starting to bloom.

I yanked all the cauliflower, broccoli, peppers and lettuces that have bolted, in preparation for tomatoes, artichokes, and spring herbs. The chickens love getting the discarded plants. The beds have been cleaned and fresh fertilized soil will be added.

It’s King Cake time! As you may recall, I was introduced to King Cake when I was part of a work crew that went down to Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina (see post here). I make this every year before Fat Tuesday (the day before Lent on Wednesday).

To learn more about King Cake, Mardi Gras and its tradition, click here.

We are having heavy rains this morning! With 299 sunny days per year, we love and appreciate the rain. This is the first time I’m adding a video link to a post, so hopefully you will be able to view it. We have a rain chain off the master bedroom terrace to slow down the rain run off from the roof. I think it’s mesmerizing to watch in the rain. Make sure to turn on the sound.

Have a wonderful Saturday! Just enjoying my coffee and a quiet morning so far! Do you have any special plans this weekend?

I went out of town and came home to a kitten. This happened to me twice. Seriously. My mother did not like cats. It is one of those questions I wished I had asked her before she died. Why didn’t she like cats? Growing up we only had dogs, no cats. By osmosis I suppose, I haven’t been very fond of cats. Indifferent at best.

While at the Brimfield Antique Show in 2010, my phone pinged and there was a cute kitten picture from my husband, with the text, “look what the girls found”. I immediately called him and was told the girls were playing in the yard and they captured this kitten. I promptly asked what we were doing with it? The response was, ” We will find it a home.”

I returned a few days later and the kitten had a home…..ours. There was a new litter box and the kitten had a collar and a name. Sigh. But she was a cute little thing and the girls were SO excited. I agreed, as long as I didn’t have to clean out the litter box.

About a year later, I was out of town again. This time I received an angry phone call from my husband. He thought the girls were playing nicely and happily running around the yard. But unknown to him, they were trying to capture another kitten. Whaaat? This time he was NOT happy about it and we definitely agreed that this kitten had to go to the rescue shelter. When I got home, the kitten had a name, a collar and a new home…..ours.

At that time, we had 4 dogs, chickens, ducks, rabbits and now CATS!?!? God made kittens cute for a reason. I must admit that these furry creatures did worm their way into my heart. Donovan, a Maine Coon male, is so people friendly and not afraid of anything. Tippy is our prissy, aloof female.

The cats and dogs get along rather well. Donovan loves to play with Cooper’s tail. When the house is cool, they all snuggle together.

Last year, Donovan suddenly became very ill. He was fine in the morning but by dinner time we couldn’t find him. After a lengthy search, we discovered him huddled behind the washer/dryer. I didn’t realize cats could get gravely ill so quickly. Being indoor cats with restricted access to the entire house, I couldn’t imagine what he had gotten into. This is what prompted me going down the rabbit hole with my Google search into cat food and illnesses.

I was surprised to learn that cat food is commonly recalled. And there are numerous articles about the deficiencies of dry cat food. It was rather terrifying to read all the problems with cat nutrition. I was already making our dog food (see blog post here), so how difficult was it to make healthy food for the cats?

Many of you have asked for my recipe for fresh cat food. I have sourced this recipe from The Whole Pet Diet by Andi Brown. I make it monthly and freeze it. We add a big spoonful of this to their kibble twice a day. We also add a few drops of the Beautiful coat oil (see previous blog post here), which helps prevent intestinal blockages.

The cats LOVE it! They lap it up and there is never any left over in their bowls. And we haven’t had any further emergency visits to the vet.

I have to thank the girls for being such good trappers. The cats are wonderful additions to our menagerie. As much as my husband was adamant about not keeping the second cat, Donovan loves him the most.

When I finally get off my feet at the end of a long day, this is a typical scenario. The cat(s) and dog sit on me/my legs and settle in for the night.

The cats have enriched the childrens’ lives as well.

Do you like cats? Out of all our animals, they are the least labor-intensive. But they have added such value to our lives. It’s been a good lesson for me to understand old prejudices, make my own choices and to give cats a chance.

My mother always made the best lemon meringue pies. After she passed, I tried to find her recipe but to no avail. I attempted making one from an online recipe and it was a complete failure. The meringue was loose and runny. I never made another.

One blogger I admire greatly is Kayley from The Kitchen McCabe. Not only do I love her photography, but the recipes I have tried have all been winners. When she posted this one recently, I was inspired to try again, in honor of my Mom. Check out her picture of this recipe. I have photography envy.

Just before I gathered the ingredients for this, my dear friend, Dr. Ryan Krch brought me a bag of Rangpurs, from his father’s tree. He mentioned that his mother always used them in her lemon meringue pies. Since I had never even heard of a rangpur, I thought I would substitute these for the lemons in the recipe.

As a side note, if you are in need of any skin or cosmetic work, I highly recommend using Krch Aesthetic Medicine. Ryan is such a good friend, a skilled physician and is extremely trustworthy.

The Rangpur lime is said to have originated in the Indian subcontinent and has nothing to do with limes. It is bright orange, about the size of a clementine and a cross between a lemon and a mandarin. It is easy to peel and segment. The juice is extremely sour, like a lemon’s, but with a deeply floral honeysuckle aroma. Apparently you can use the leaves in cooking too. Who knew?

The crust is a combination of flour, butter and confectioners sugar. Though crumbly, it surprisingly held together when pressed into the tart pan.

The crust requires parbaking. I keep a Ziplock bag of reusable dried beans just for this purpose. Lining the crust with parchment paper, I filled the pan with beans.

After removing the pie weights (beans), the crust bakes for another 5-8 minutes to a light brown color.

The filling is a combination of eggs, sugar, lemon (or rangpur) juice, salt, butter, heavy or coconut cream and vanilla.

Whisk the egg yolks, whole eggs and sugar until combined. Add the lemon juice, salt and then eventually the butter pieces. Check out our freshly laid eggs~~the color of the yolk is nothing short of magnificent!

The filling thickens rather quickly so make sure you keep whisking during this phase. Bake the filling in the crust to set it. Once the filling is cool, cover and place in the refrigerator to chill.

Kayley’s instructions for making the meringue are very good. In her blog post she explains the difference between the different kinds of meringues~~Italian, Swiss, and traditional. Once made, spoon the cloud-like meringue on top of the filling.

It was rather fun to pile on this marshmallow-fluffy topping.

Caramelize the meringue using a kitchen torch. This is optional, but I believe it was the finishing touch on this delicious dessert.

I loved the flavors of the Rangpurs but I imagine it would be equally divine with lemons.

The tart filling, the sweet meringue and the buttery crust are the perfect combination. This will keep for several days in your refrigerator. Each slice is rich so you can feed many with this!

For the link to The Kitchen McCabe recipe, please click here.

I hope you have a spectacular Saturday. The freezing temperatures are finally over and I detect a hint of Spring in the air!