Life around the Homestead, and More Sourdough

You may remember my sourdough obsession from several weeks ago. I was flabbergasted by how many people responded to it—it was among my most popular blog posts to date. Not long after that I became absolutely overwhelmed by starter, so I used up most of it and stuck some in my fridge for a while. Ten days ago I got out my Amish Sourdough starter and started feeding the beast again. My obsession is back.

Yesterday I split this resuscitated starter for the first time. Of course, I made our go-to Amish cinnamon bread. I intend to share some with neighbors, but who knows if I’ll actually make it out the door with any before it’s consumed.

I also hunted around for a new sourdough recipe to try. I found two—sourdough chocolate chip cookies and sourdough crumpets.

It's worth making chocolate chip cookies just for the smell.

The cookies were, quite simply, amazing. I forgot to adjust the sugar for the sweetness of my starter, so they were a little on the sweet side, but as for ooey, gooey, chocolatey-chip goodness, they absolutely hit the mark. My friend Elaine wouldn’t like them, because they’re soft and chewy, but I’m sure a little less flour and more time in the oven could fix that. The recipe says to flatten the cookies, but I actually preferred their shape without flattening. Part of the three dozen in the batch also went to neighbors. I don’t expect the rest to last the weekend.

Is there any taste in the world like a cookie fresh from the oven?

The crumpets were far outside my comfort zone. I’d never made crumpets—a cross between a pancake and an English muffin. I’ve certainly never tried with sourdough. I experienced a lot of operator error as I tried to find the perfect setting on my stove-top griddle and messed with canning lids as muffin rings, so my first (and second) attempt turned out…I think interesting is a kind word. 

Working with canning rings on a griddle was a new experience.

Few of them actually looked like crumpets, and several were burned. I also have a feeling the sweetness of the Amish starter made them far sweeter than they should have been, and I’d be curious to try them with a sourer starter. However, that doesn’t mean they tasted bad! The sugar in the starter caramelized on the griddle, giving them a texture and taste that reminded me more of crème brulee than English muffins. I definitely would not mind eating them again.

A lot of trial and error, but not too bad. Not too bad at all.

However, it’s not all sourdough all the time. It’s not even all baking all the time. How fat would I be now if that were the case? (I think I’ve put on a few pounds as is. I don’t know how many, because I refuse to get on the scale.)

Last week the sun finally, finally, showed itself. It became warm enough to work outside without even a sweater. Our family took full advantage of the sunshine to get some work done outside the house. I even got a good start on this year's farmer's tan.

With my husband’s help, I finished turning our chicken run into Fort Knox. Okay, that’s an exaggeration, but it will now keep our chickens in and the neighbors’ chickens out. That meant I was able to retrieve our rooster from the neighbors who had him in their run to keep him away from the Rhode Island Red across the street. The neighbors' rooster inspects it daily to make sure there are no weaknesses. It’s a long story. A functioning run means it’s also ready for our six vulnerable chicks whenever they’re ready for it.

With my chickens not only surrounded, but also with bird netting on top, I hope I finally have my small flock contained.

I also spent some time around my neglected garden and flower beds. I have a garden every year, but this year I’m making a conscious effort to practice companion planting. Not that I’m terribly methodical about it; I found a chart online, and that’s my expert source. It will be pretty, though. Potatoes, cabbage, marigolds and more, living in (let’s hope) mutual benefit.

Marigolds are good to have throughout your garden, because they repel pests that harm other plants.

With peas, lettuce, onions, and carrots waiting to go in the ground, not to mention corn, beans, and tomatoes later in May, I still have plenty of work ahead of me. I’ve by no means been bored, though I have been missing the voices and faces and presence of friends. Please, drop me a line in the comments to let me know you’re still alive!

Have a blessed weekend.