Sourdough question,

You can freeze sourdough starter; it thaws out and revives well after a couple of feeds. So no need to worry about keeping it going if you're intending long intervals between using it. Just freeze some.

I found it easiest to make and work the bread dough in the evening, leave it to rise overnight and shape and bake the next morning. The speed at which it rises overnight depends on the ambient temperature, if it's very warm it can be left in the fridge to rise. Never been a problem in the winter, though.

I’d try to source an independent baker (but then I’m renowned for making bread that doubles as doorstops ). We have a Polish baker at our local market who makes and sells nothing but sourdough loaves, white or brown. He sells out every week, it’s so good.

With normal flour the starter takes about a week to make if you use low gluten flour such as Doves it takes much longer. It does take a long time to make any bread as you need to keep leaving it , but if you were doing it regularly you do get into a rhythm with it.

I love sourdough and eat it most of the time. I buy loaves a week, slice and freeze it. Keeps very well.

I've tried to make it and failed. The starter takes some time and needs constant temperature, which I can't do in our cottage. No central heating.

Found Patrick Ryan 3dognight. He has a website with the video. Thank you.
www.ilovecooking.ie/features/sourdough-bread-masterclass-with-patrick-ryan/

Watch Patrick Ryan on YouTube- sourdough masterclass, he’s a gorgeous Irish baker. I wish I knew how to do a link.

It’s well worth doing and does not cause me any ibs or bloating .

It’s delicious, and prep in advance is required, but do try it.
I would recommend slicing and freezing, however many slices you use in a day in a freezer bag. It does not save.

Has your DH tried Spelt bread? It’s low in gluten and a friend of mine said her IBS symptoms lessened when she tried it. It’s also much easier to make than sourdough and freezes well.

I understood it that the sourdough starter is a naturally fermented thing, not quite like the other yeast.

The fiddliest part is making the starter and keeping it going. Making the bread itself isn't too bad.

I made a lot of sourdough bread over the last year and we enjoy it a lot. I switched back to yeast because I don't make bread frequently enough to keep the starter healthy. You really need to make bread daily or every few days to keep the starter going.

I didn't find the shop bought starter as good.

Give it a go - it really isn't that difficult and there are lots of videos online to help you.

As I understand it, supermarket sourdough still has yeast in it so it isn’t the same as sourdough you’d make at home. Independent bakeries may sell genuine sourdough, though.

I make my own bread sometimes but I’ll admit that sourdough is a bit of a scutter as you have to start well before you want to eat it.