Amber Eisler

All right. So there are a lot of things that can be happening here. One of them is just the proof of the bread. So sometimes it could mean underproofed, but oftentimes when you're getting a really flat loaf, it means that your loaf has been overproofed. It's gone a little bit too long. The other thing, it could just be that you're scoring too deep.

All right. So there are a lot of things that can be happening here. One of them is just the proof of the bread. So sometimes it could mean underproofed, but oftentimes when you're getting a really flat loaf, it means that your loaf has been overproofed. It's gone a little bit too long. The other thing, it could just be that you're scoring too deep.

So some people maybe are a little aggressive when you're handling a loam or another tool to score the dough and you end up cutting a little deeper than necessary. And that just encourages a flatter loaf.

So some people maybe are a little aggressive when you're handling a loam or another tool to score the dough and you end up cutting a little deeper than necessary. And that just encourages a flatter loaf.

Yeah. So an underproofed loaf, it's going to still feel really kind of tight and springy. As the dough rises, it's going to be puffier and softer, a little bit more airy. But we don't want to get to the point where it starts to feel very fragile because that means that it's like reached the maximum volume.

Yeah. So an underproofed loaf, it's going to still feel really kind of tight and springy. As the dough rises, it's going to be puffier and softer, a little bit more airy. But we don't want to get to the point where it starts to feel very fragile because that means that it's like reached the maximum volume.

But then you maybe tip it out of the banneton or you slide it onto your baking stone and it just collapses. Yeah. So you want to hit that sweet spot in between.

But then you maybe tip it out of the banneton or you slide it onto your baking stone and it just collapses. Yeah. So you want to hit that sweet spot in between.

Happens to the best of us.

Happens to the best of us.

Yeah, there's so many variables that makes the baking process really fun and exciting, but sometimes it can be hard to pinpoint the exact issue. Let's go to our next question.

Yeah, there's so many variables that makes the baking process really fun and exciting, but sometimes it can be hard to pinpoint the exact issue. Let's go to our next question.

Yeah, I see this question come up a lot. And the question is not what you can do, but what you should do, right? So you can make bread with a starter that hasn't been fed regularly, but what kind of results are you looking for, right? And if you're looking for really a beautiful fermentation, volume, flavor, you are going to want to be more attentive to those feeds.

Yeah, I see this question come up a lot. And the question is not what you can do, but what you should do, right? So you can make bread with a starter that hasn't been fed regularly, but what kind of results are you looking for, right? And if you're looking for really a beautiful fermentation, volume, flavor, you are going to want to be more attentive to those feeds.

And the way I think about it is full disclosure, I am not a runner, but if I were to run a marathon, I would not do that right after I had been fasting for a week. I would carbo load. I would get all of the nutrition into my body first. It's the same with the sourdough starter. We need to feed it and care for it because it has a lot of work to do.

And the way I think about it is full disclosure, I am not a runner, but if I were to run a marathon, I would not do that right after I had been fasting for a week. I would carbo load. I would get all of the nutrition into my body first. It's the same with the sourdough starter. We need to feed it and care for it because it has a lot of work to do.

Yeah, you got to take Fernando out of the fridge at least once a week just to keep him on life support. But recognize that's all it is. That's life support, right? You want Fernando to do some heavy lifting. You got to give him a couple of more feeds before you're going to make some bread.

Yeah, you got to take Fernando out of the fridge at least once a week just to keep him on life support. But recognize that's all it is. That's life support, right? You want Fernando to do some heavy lifting. You got to give him a couple of more feeds before you're going to make some bread.

It's a good question. It really is. I tell students that it is much more important how you have treated your sourdough starter in the past two weeks, not the past two centuries. Yeah. Having said that, I acknowledge there's something special and powerful about having history to your sourdough. Yeah, it's romantic, right? It really is.

It's a good question. It really is. I tell students that it is much more important how you have treated your sourdough starter in the past two weeks, not the past two centuries. Yeah. Having said that, I acknowledge there's something special and powerful about having history to your sourdough. Yeah, it's romantic, right? It really is.

Everybody likes the story to tell and the connection to the past. And sourdough bread baking really does give us a connection to the past. But when it comes to actually leavening and flavoring your bread, older is not necessarily better.

Everybody likes the story to tell and the connection to the past. And sourdough bread baking really does give us a connection to the past. But when it comes to actually leavening and flavoring your bread, older is not necessarily better.

Hey, David. It's great to be here.

Hey, David. It's great to be here.

Yeah, definitely. So when I first started teaching sourdough, most of the people were either retired engineers or health food enthusiasts. But sourdough is definitely having a moment. And we are seeing people from every walk of life baking sourdough. And there are people that see these images on social media, bubbly dough and beautiful crust. And they're like, yes, I want that.

Yeah, definitely. So when I first started teaching sourdough, most of the people were either retired engineers or health food enthusiasts. But sourdough is definitely having a moment. And we are seeing people from every walk of life baking sourdough. And there are people that see these images on social media, bubbly dough and beautiful crust. And they're like, yes, I want that.

Oh, that's hard to say, David. Humans have been baking sourdough for thousands of years. If it was that hard, we would have given up a long time ago. But getting that perfect balance of crust and crumb and the texture, you can spend a lifetime perfecting your loaf.

Oh, that's hard to say, David. Humans have been baking sourdough for thousands of years. If it was that hard, we would have given up a long time ago. But getting that perfect balance of crust and crumb and the texture, you can spend a lifetime perfecting your loaf.

Yeah. So you really have to pay attention to temperature. And this could go either way. Sometimes the dough is too cold. Sometimes it's too warm. So I just think about how I react to temperature. When I'm cold, I just want to curl up into a ball and hibernate. I don't want to do anything. I don't rise to the occasion.

Yeah. So you really have to pay attention to temperature. And this could go either way. Sometimes the dough is too cold. Sometimes it's too warm. So I just think about how I react to temperature. When I'm cold, I just want to curl up into a ball and hibernate. I don't want to do anything. I don't rise to the occasion.

But you know, when I'm at a nice, comfortable temperature, I'm at my best and the sourdough is the same. So check in. What is your room temperature? What is your dough temperature? How does that change over time? And don't just kind of set your dough and forget about it. You got to keep checking in with it. See how it's doing. Feel the dough.

But you know, when I'm at a nice, comfortable temperature, I'm at my best and the sourdough is the same. So check in. What is your room temperature? What is your dough temperature? How does that change over time? And don't just kind of set your dough and forget about it. You got to keep checking in with it. See how it's doing. Feel the dough.

Really use your senses to see how the dough is reacting.

Really use your senses to see how the dough is reacting.

Oh, I feel like I'm going to get in trouble no matter how I answer that one. There's a range of right. And I think there's room in the world for that really super dark bake. That is just a real depth of flavor. It's like caramelization. There's definitely a range, but I do notice that students tend to just be afraid that their bread is going to burn. And as a result, they really underbake it.

Oh, I feel like I'm going to get in trouble no matter how I answer that one. There's a range of right. And I think there's room in the world for that really super dark bake. That is just a real depth of flavor. It's like caramelization. There's definitely a range, but I do notice that students tend to just be afraid that their bread is going to burn. And as a result, they really underbake it.

And the consequences of really underbaking your bread are that you have too much moisture that has not baked off. And so as soon as you pull that bread out of the oven, that crispy crust softens right up. So you don't have that crisp crust that you're searching for. Totally. When I'm looking at a loaf of bread, I'm looking at the score mark right where I've made a cut on the top of the bread.

And the consequences of really underbaking your bread are that you have too much moisture that has not baked off. And so as soon as you pull that bread out of the oven, that crispy crust softens right up. So you don't have that crisp crust that you're searching for. Totally. When I'm looking at a loaf of bread, I'm looking at the score mark right where I've made a cut on the top of the bread.

I really want to see color in that score mark. I don't want to just look at the top to make sure that I'm getting really nice color.

I really want to see color in that score mark. I don't want to just look at the top to make sure that I'm getting really nice color.

Yeah, I'm looking at the deepest part. So the ear is going to get color on it real fast, right? But I'm looking where the score mark merges with the rest of the loaf.

Yeah, I'm looking at the deepest part. So the ear is going to get color on it real fast, right? But I'm looking where the score mark merges with the rest of the loaf.

I want to see some color there. It's certainly not going to be as dark as the rest of the loaf, but if it's looking really pale, then I'm going to put it back in for a few more minutes.

I want to see some color there. It's certainly not going to be as dark as the rest of the loaf, but if it's looking really pale, then I'm going to put it back in for a few more minutes.

Yeah, you just have to practice. Practice the same bread over and over again. Don't keep chasing every wind that blows your way. You've got to stick with the bread that you want to make and be really observant. You know, how is your temperature changing? What's the weather like? How does the dough feel? What was the health of your starter? So it's really being detective almost.

Yeah, you just have to practice. Practice the same bread over and over again. Don't keep chasing every wind that blows your way. You've got to stick with the bread that you want to make and be really observant. You know, how is your temperature changing? What's the weather like? How does the dough feel? What was the health of your starter? So it's really being detective almost.

And you're really trying to pay attention to all of the variables. Stay focused and just have fun with the process. You know, don't get stressed out because sometimes even the bakes that don't turn out exactly the way we hoped, they are still so good. I love that.

And you're really trying to pay attention to all of the variables. Stay focused and just have fun with the process. You know, don't get stressed out because sometimes even the bakes that don't turn out exactly the way we hoped, they are still so good. I love that.

Yeah, bread also is just such a temporary art, right? You bake it, you eat it, and then the next day you have to do the same thing over again.

Yeah, bread also is just such a temporary art, right? You bake it, you eat it, and then the next day you have to do the same thing over again.

And it gives us great opportunity, but I just love being in production baking because it's the same enough, it's familiar enough that you get into this very comfortable muscle memory rhythm, but there are enough variables and surprises that you always have to stay mentally on. So... I never had a bad or boring day as a baker. It is a great profession. I love baking.

And it gives us great opportunity, but I just love being in production baking because it's the same enough, it's familiar enough that you get into this very comfortable muscle memory rhythm, but there are enough variables and surprises that you always have to stay mentally on. So... I never had a bad or boring day as a baker. It is a great profession. I love baking.

Well, people can find me at our baking school. I teach here in Vermont, but you can also find my new on-demand sourdough class. And I am just so excited to share sourdough in that platform. Yeah, it's just a great opportunity to reach people that might not be able to travel to our in-person schools.

Well, people can find me at our baking school. I teach here in Vermont, but you can also find my new on-demand sourdough class. And I am just so excited to share sourdough in that platform. Yeah, it's just a great opportunity to reach people that might not be able to travel to our in-person schools.

I would love to.

I would love to.