Get ready. I am jumping in with both feet. About six months ago, my son Jeff called one morning and said, “I am bringing a few friends over tomorrow night to hear you play the piano.

It was one of the most flattering things any one of my children has ever done. I have tried to get my piano skills up a little by playing every day or night. Well, skipping over the horror of decluttering, practicing very much for a couple of hours that day, I loved having these dear friends who did not mind the clutter, nor did the wrong notes annoy them.

One of the group brought a loaf of sourdough bread for which she has become well known, especially at Trinity Episcopal Church where she is on the staff with my Jeff.

I love homemade bread and have been making some form of it since I was about 12 years old. I had never made or eaten bread with the texture and taste of the loaf Rachel White brought.  I immediately asked for the recipe and some starter. She complied with both.

A few days later, I got everything ready to go. As I picked up the jar of starter, the bottom came out of the jar. It was her starter, and I was assigned to feed it then use what I needed. I did not know if the starter had been in her family for several generations, or if a new one could be made. Fortunately, the latter was true.

I am giving you the recipe for the starter because, unfortunately, I cannot share with very many people. Just jump in and go for it. It will be worth it.

Rachel White’s Starter and Sourdough Bread Recipe

Starter:

1 cup warm water

1/3 cup sugar

3 tablespoons instant potato flakes

2 1/4 teaspoons instant dry yeast

Mix all ingredients in a glass quart jar

Cover with a paper towel or a coffee filter secured with a rubber band.

Leave out on kitchen counter for four days, stirring once each day.

On the fifth day, feed the starter: When feeding starter, be sure 1 cup starter remains in jar.

1 cup warm water

1/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons instant potato flakes

Mix water, sugar, and potato flakes

Stir gently. Pour into 1 cup of reserved starter. After 6 hours, unrefrigerated and use 1 cup to make batch of bread.

Note: Starter must be fed every 4-6 days. Store remaining in fridge, covered with coffee filter secure with rubber band, as before.

Bread:

This makes 2 loaves 4-inch by 7-inch or 3-4 smaller loaves. Grease or spray pans well.

Place in 4-5 quart mixing bowl

2 cups very warm, 105 degrees, water

Add 1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon salt

Stir to dissolve sugar and salt. Add 1/2 cup light olive oil . Add 1 cup starter (stir starter gently if separated). Add 6 or more cups of all-purpose flour, 2 cups at a time. Stir gently until liquid and flour are smooth.

Add more flour, 2 cups at a time stirring after each addition. If dough is too sticky, add more flour, 1/4 cup at a time after 6 cups have been added. Cover with tea towel. Let rise in warm place until doubled in size 10 hours  (less if placed in oven with oven light on.).

Stir down. Make into loaves, pouring into pans. Do not knead dough.  Let rise until doubled in size. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.

— Barbara Richardson McClellan is a longtime food columnist. Write her in care of the Longview News-Journal, P.O. Box 1792, Longview, TX 75606.