There are some absolutely beautiful sourdough bakers online.
Perfect scoring.
Perfect ears.
Perfect crumb.
Perfect kitchens.
Mine isn’t usually any of those things.
Mine is made around preschool drop-offs, homework, family dinners, and remembering (or sometimes forgetting!) that there’s dough sitting on the bench.
And honestly?
I think that’s perfectly okay.
Because for me, sourdough isn’t about creating a competition-winning loaf.
It’s about feeding my family.
Last night’s loaf…
This one nearly didn’t happen.
It was a cold Southern Highlands evening, so my dough was rising more slowly than usual.
Dinner happened.
Homework happened.
Pyjamas happened.
By the time everyone was settled, I completely forgot about it.
At 1:30 in the morning, I suddenly remembered there was a bowl of dough still sitting on the kitchen bench.
For a split second I thought,
“Well… that’s ruined.”
Instead, I shaped it, popped it into the fridge and baked it the next morning anyway.
Was it perfect?
Probably not.
Did we still enjoy it warm with butter?
Absolutely.
Sometimes “good enough” really is good enough.
Every loaf teaches you something
One of the things I love most about sourdough is that every loaf is a little different.
The weather changes.
The flour changes.
Your kitchen changes.
Life changes.
Some days your starter bubbles enthusiastically.
Other days it seems to be moving at its own leisurely pace.
My starter is now well over a year old.
Even in the middle of winter, when it only produces a few bubbles, I know it’s still alive and ready to bake with a little patience. On cold days, the fire becomes the warmest spot in the house, and you’ll often find bowls of dough quietly rising nearby—usually balanced on an old stool rather than arranged in a magazine-worthy display.
Bread doesn’t have to be wasted
One of the biggest lessons sourdough has taught me is that an imperfect loaf isn’t a failed loaf.
If it turns out beautifully…
Wonderful.
If it’s a little denser than expected…
Slice it thinly and toast it.
It’s delicious with hummus, cottage cheese, avocado or soup.
If it’s really not your best effort…
Blitz it into fresh breadcrumbs.
I often add herbs from the garden, garlic powder and a little parmesan to make seasoned breadcrumbs that freeze beautifully. They’re perfect for coating schnitzels, topping pasta bakes or mixing through meatballs and meatloaf.
Nothing needs to go to waste.
Today’s loaves
Today’s baking is a little different.
One loaf is coated in sesame seeds and made with a combination of white and wholemeal flour. It can be a little messier to make, but it’s one of my favourites.
The other is a multigrain loaf.
My eldest has developed a taste for multigrain bread, and apparently I’ve created a problem for myself because plain white sourdough is no longer good enough!
I suppose there are worse complaints to have.
Testing something new
I’m also trying something new this week.
I’ve started storing my bread in reusable beeswax-lined bread bags instead of plastic.
This is Day One, so I’ll report back over the coming days to see how well they keep the bread fresh and whether they’re worth the investment.
I’ll share the results honestly—good or bad.
My sourdough philosophy
I’ve stopped chasing perfection.
Instead, I try to make bread that works for our family.
Bread that nourishes us.
Bread that fits around everyday life.
Bread that doesn’t end up in the bin because it wasn’t Instagram-perfect.
Real food doesn’t have to be flawless.
It simply needs to be made with care, shared with people you love, and appreciated for what it is.
For me, that’s enough.