Sourdough Bread made with a potato water starter

I was born in San Francisco and lived there until I was around 3 or 4 years old. It’s amazing how many memories I have at such a young age. I remember watching the seals clap their hands and feeling the cool breezes on my skin. I also remember the smell of fish and seafood, as well as the sound of lobsters screaming as they were put in pots of boiling water. I remember walks with Papa, my grandfather, along Fisherman’s Wharf, as well the taste of fresh sour dough bread that he purchased there.

San Francisco sourdough bread is something I haven’t eaten for about 35 years now, but oh do I long for it! It’s unlike other sourdough breads, and I’m not sure why unless it has something to do the the altitude that it’s made and baked at. Even though San Francisco sourdough has spoiled me, I do enjoy other sourdoughs. Oddly enough, I’ve never made it…until today that is. I guess I never made it because I know I can’t make sourdough that will taste and smell like the sourdough I remember as a child. But I finally decided to do it.

I have the instructions for making a sourdough starter and bread in my recipe box that I’ve had for about 20 years or so. It’s just sitting there…collecting dust. Maybe I’ll try it one day. But for now, I think I’ll stick with the recipe I tried today since my bread turned out so good. It’s chewy on the outside and soft yet firm on the inside.

The starter I used is Emeril Lagasse’s: “Potato Water Sourdough Bread Starter” recipe that I found on The Food Network website. What appealed to me about Emeril’s recipe is that the starter didn’t take several days like most sourdough starters. And since I had to boil some potatoes anyway last night, I thought I would just go ahead and try it. His recipe is straightforward and easy to follow, and I’m glad I made it.

I wasn’t sure which sourdough bread recipe to make after I finished the starter, but I ended up choosing Emeril’s “Basic Sourdough Bread” recipe. I might have to try his “Basic Sourdough Starter which is listed below the recipe and see how it compares to his potato water sourdough bread starter.

Are you interested in trying some sourdough? Here’s how ya do it.

Sourdough Bread made with a Potato Water Starter (Recipe sources: Both the bread and the starter are Emeril Lagasse’s recipes.)