Severe T-Storm Watch

 And so, the severe storm weather begins here in Manitoba.

3:29 PM CDT Saturday 23 May 2020
Severe thunderstorm watch in effect for:

• Mun. of Emerson-Franklin incl. Roseau River
• R.M. of De Salaberry incl. St-Pierre-Jolys and St. Malo
• R.M. of Hanover incl. Steinbach Niverville and Grunthal
• R.M. of La Broquerie incl. Marchand
• R.M. of Ritchot incl. St. Adolphe and Ste. Agathe
• R.M. of Ste. Anne incl. Richer
• R.M. of Stuartburn incl. Zhoda Vita and Sundown
• R.M. of Tache incl. Lorette Ste-Geneviève and Landmark

Conditions are favourable for the development of severe thunderstorms that may be capable of producing strong wind gusts, large hail and heavy rain.

Thunderstorms have developed this afternoon along a cold front stalled over southern Manitoba. Some of these thunderstorms may become severe late this afternoon or this evening.
Remember, severe thunderstorms can produce tornadoes. Lightning kills and injures Canadians every year. Remember, when thunder roars, go indoors!

Severe thunderstorm watches are issued when atmospheric conditions are favourable for the development of thunderstorms that could produce one or more of the following: large hail, damaging winds, torrential rainfall.

Please continue to monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada. To report severe weather, send an email to MBstorm@canada.ca or tweet reports using #MBStorm.

Sourdough Starter and Bread

I'm going to start a sourdough starter & try to use it to bake bread. Here are a couple of starter recipes that I can try, plus a recipe for making bread. Wish me luck.

How To Make Your Own Sourdough Starter

Makes4 cups

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour (or a mix of all-purpose and whole grain flour)
• Water, preferably filtered

Equipment

• 2-quart glass or plastic container (not metal)
• Scale (highly recommended) or measuring cups
• Mixing spoon
• Plastic wrap or clean kitchen towel

Instructions

Instructions (Overview)

1. Making sourdough starter takes about 5 days. Each day you "feed" the starter with equal amounts of fresh flour and water. As the wild yeast grows stronger, the starter will become more frothy and sour-smelling. On average, this process takes about 5 days, but it can take longer depending on the conditions in your kitchen. As long as you see bubbles and signs of yeast activity, continue feeding it regularly. If you see zero signs of bubbles after three days, take a look at the Troubleshooting section below.

Process

1. Day 1: Make the Initial Starter
   4 ounces all-purpose flour (3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons)
   4 ounces water (1/2 cup)
2. Weigh the flour and water, and combine them in a 2-quart glass or plastic container (not metal). Stir vigorously until combined into a smooth batter. It will look like a sticky, thick dough. Scrape down the sides and loosely cover the container with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel secured with a rubber band.
3. Place the container somewhere with a consistent room temperature of 70°F to 75°F (like the top of the refrigerator) and let sit for 24 hours.
4. Day 2: Feed the Starter
   4 ounces all-purpose flour (3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons)
   4 ounces water (1/2 cup)
5. Take a look at the starter. You may see a few small bubbles here and there. This is good! The bubbles mean that wild yeast have started making themselves at home in your starter. They will eat the sugars in the the flour and release carbon dioxide (the bubbles) and alcohol. They will also increase the acidity of the mixture, which helps fend off any bad bacterias. At this point, the starter should smell fresh, mildly sweet, and yeasty.
6. If you don't see any bubbles yet, don't panic — depending on the conditions in your kitchen, the average room temperature, and other factors, your starter might just be slow to get going.
7. Weigh the flour and water for today, and add them to the starter. Stir vigorously until combined into a smooth batter. It will look like a sticky, thick dough. Scrape down the sides and loosely cover the container with the plastic wrap or kitchen towel secured again. Place the container somewhere with a consistent room temperature of 70°F to 75°F (like the top of the refrigerator) and let sit for 24 hours.
8. Day 3: Feed the Starter
   4 ounces all-purpose flour (3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons)
   4 ounces water (1/2 cup)
9. Check your starter. By now, the surface of your starter should look dotted with bubbles and your starter should look visibly larger in volume. If you stir the starter, it will still feel thick and batter-like, but you'll hear bubbles popping. It should also start smelling a little sour and musty. Again, if your starter doesn't look quite like mine in the photo, don't worry. Give it a few more days. My starter happened to be particularly vigorous!
10. Weigh the flour and water for today, and add them to the starter. Stir vigorously until combined into a smooth batter. It will look like a sticky, thick dough. Scrape down the sides and loosely cover the container with the plastic wrap or kitchen towel secured again. Place the container somewhere with a consistent room temperature of 70°F to 75°F (like the top of the refrigerator) and let sit for 24 hours.
11. Day 4: Feed the Starter
    4 ounces all-purpose flour (3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons)
    4 ounces water (1/2 cup)
12. Check your starter. By now, the starter should be looking very bubbly with large and small bubbles, and it will have doubled in volume. If you stir the starter, it will feel looser than yesterday and honeycombed with bubbles. It should also be smelling quite sour and pungent. You can taste a little too! It should taste sour and somewhat vinegary.
13. When I made my starter here, I didn't notice much visual change from Day 3 to Day 4, but could tell things had progress by the looseness of the starter and the sourness of the aroma.
14. Weigh the flour and water for today, and add them to the starter. Stir vigorously until combined into a smooth batter. It will look like a sticky, thick dough. Scrape down the sides and loosely cover the container with the plastic wrap or kitchen towel secured again. Place the container somewhere with a consistent room temperature of 70°F to 75°F (like the top of the refrigerator) and let sit for 24 hours.
15. Day 5: Starter is Ready to Use
    Check your starter. It should have doubled in bulk since yesterday. By now, the starter should also be looking very bubbly — even frothy. If you stir the starter, it will feel looser than yesterday and be completely webbed with bubbles. It should also be smelling quite sour and pungent. You can taste a little too! It should taste even more sour and vinegary.
16. If everything is looking, smelling, and tasting good, you can consider your starter ripe and ready to use! If your starter is lagging behind a bit, continue on with the Day 5 and Beyond instructions.
17. Day 5 and Beyond: Maintaining Your Starter
    4 ounces all-purpose flour (3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons)
    4 ounces water (1/2 cup)
18. Once your starter is ripe (or even if it's not quite ripe yet), you no longer need to bulk it up. To maintain the starter, discard (or use) about half of the starter and then "feed" it with new flour and water: weigh the flour and water, and combine them in the container with the starter. Stir vigorously until combined into a smooth batter.
19. If you're using the starter within the next few days, leave it out on the counter and continue discarding half and "feeding" it daily. If it will be longer before you use your starter, cover it tightly and place it in the fridge. Remember to take it out and feed it at least once a week — I also usually let the starter sit out overnight to give the yeast time to recuperate before putting it back in the fridge.
20. How to Reduce the Amount of Starter
    Maybe you don't need all the starter we've made here on an ongoing basis. That's fine! Discard half the starter as usual, but feed it with half the amount of flour and water. Continue until you have whatever amount of starter works for your baking habits.
21. How to Take a Long Break from Your Starter
    If you're taking a break from baking, but want to keep your starter, you can do two things:
    1) Make a Thick Starter: Feed your starter double the amount of flour to make a thicker dough-like starter. This thicker batter will maintain the yeast better over long periods of inactivity in the fridge.
    2) Dry the Starter: Smear your starter on a Silpat and let it dry. Once completely dry, break it into flakes and store it in an airtight container. Dried sourdough can be stored for months. To re-start it, dissolve 1/4 cup of the flakes in 4 ounces of water, and stir in 4 ounces of flour. Continue feeding the starter until it is active again.
    
    
    
    
    
    

    Sourdough Starter Recipe

    This traditional sourdough starter recipe takes a little bit of patience, but yields big results. With consistency, time and intention, you can maintain your starter indefinitely.
    Prep Time6 d
    Total Time5 d 5 mins
    Course: bread
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: fermentation, flour
    Author: Jenny

    Equipment

22. Flip-Top Jar
23. Digital Kitchen Scale

Ingredients

• 450 grams bread flour
• 450 grams warm water
• established sourdough starter (optional, see notes)

Instructions

Day 1

• Measure 100 grams flour and 100 grams water into a jar with a tight-fitting lid, and then whisk them together using a fork. If using an established sourdough starter, whisk it into the flour and water now. Set the jar on the countertop away from direct light and heat.

Day 2

• Set a bowl on your kitchen scale, and then tare the scale. Measure 100 grams sourdough starter into the bowl, and then discard it.
• Set the jar containing your starter onto the scale, tare it again, and then measure in 50 grams water. Whisk the water into the starter in your jar, and then whisk in 50 grams flour. Clamp the jar tightly, and then set it on your countertop away from direct light and heat.

Day 3

• You should begin seeing bubbles appear on the surface of your starter, or the surface may appear slightly foamy. These are signs of microbial activity.
• Measure 100 grams sourdough starter into the bowl, and then discard it.
• After discarding the starter, whisk in 50 grams warm water and 50 grams flour. Seal the jar and store it away from direct light and heat.

Day 4

• The surface of your starter should appear slightly bubbly, and you may see evidence that your starter is beginning to expand in the jar. You should start feeding your starter twice a day today.
• In the morning, measure 100 grams sourdough starter and discard it.
• After discarding the starter, whisk in 50 grams water and 50 grams flour. Seal the jar and store it away from direct light and heat.
• In the evening about 12 hours after your first feeding, discard 100 grams starter, and then whisk in 50 grams water and 50 grams flour. Seal the jar tightly, and store it away from light and heat.

Day 5

• The surface of your starter should be very bubbly, and it may expel gas when you open the jar. You should also see evidence that your starter is expanding in its jar.
• In the morning, measure 100 grams sourdough starter and discard it. Whisk in 50 grams water and 50 grams flour, and store the jar away from direct light and heat.
• In the evening about 12 hours after your first feeding, feed the starter again by discarding 100 grams starter and replacing it with 50 grams water and 50 grams flour.

Day 6

• Your starter should be bubbly, and it should smell of yeast and bread with faint sour notes. It should also double within 12 hours of each feeding.
• Discard 100 grams of starter, and then whisk in 50 grams water and 50 grams flour.
• If you're planning to bake with the starter today, wait until it doubles in volume and then follow your recipe's instructions. If you're planning to bake with the starter later, transfer it to the fridge.

Weekly Maintenance

• To maintain the starter, remove it from the fridge at least once per week. Discard 100 grams starter, and then whisk in 50 grams water and 50 grams flour. Let it rise at room temperature up to 12 hours if you're planning to bake that day. If you're planning to bake later, transfer it to the fridge.

Proofing the Starter on Baking Day

• Remove the starter from the fridge approximately 8 to 12 hours before you plan to begin your recipe.
• Feed the starter by discarding 100 grams spent starter, and replacing it by whisking 50 grams flour and 50 grams into the jar. Seal the jar, and let it sit on the countertop until it doubles in volume.
• Remove the amount of starter that your recipe calls for, and then replace it with equal amounts of flour and water. Transfer the jar of starter to the fridge.

Easy Sourdough Bread

• Prep Time: 15 minutes

• Cook Time: 45 minutes

• Total Time: 6 hours

• Yield: 1 large loaf

Ingredients

• 3 cups bread flour or a mix of bread and whole wheat flours
• 1 1/4 cup filtered water
• 1 cup active hydrated starter
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Let rest for 15 minutes.
2. Either knead 5 minutes with the dough hook of a stand mixer, or turn out dough onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes by hand, adding more flour as necessary. I find it works better when I knead by hand.
3. Shape the dough into a ball and put into an oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and let rise for 3 hours. During the first rise, stretch the dough, tuck it back under, and return to bowl every hour.
4. After the last “stretch and tuck” return dough to bowl for the final rise. Let dough rise 2 hours, covered.
5. Preheat oven to 475°F. Preheat a pizza stone or an enameled dutch oven while oven is preheating.
6. Once oven is preheated, carefully oil stoneware. (If using a pizza stone, line it with parchment.) Gently remove dough from the bowl and shape into a ball. Place on the hot stoneware and cut 3 deep slits into the dough.
7. Bake for 30-45 minutes. Remove from oven place bread on a cooling rack to cool for 30 minutes (this is still part of the cooking process) before cutting. 
   
   
   I will try to keep posting on the progress of this baking adventure.