Sourdough Starters and Bread

[StealthBoaster]

I realise I'm late to the party but a couple of days ago I decided to stop endlessly scrolling through facebook and start doing nice wholesome constructive things so I am currently attempting to make my first ever sourdough starter. He is called Bob and he has just had his first feed. I am ridiculously excited. My DH and DS are monumentally unimpressed so I thought I'd see if anyone here would like to start a sourdough chat? I have no idea what I'm doing so if there are any experts knocking about, please do come and tell me what I should and shouldn't be doing.

Following - for getting advice rather than providing it I'm afraid! I was given some starter a couple of months ago (didn't think to name him though ) and since them have made a dozen or so loaves with varying degrees of success. Some taking a few hours and some 2 days, some lovely fluffy sourdough and some bricks ... haven't found a foolproof recipe yet but hoping someone will come along who has!

I did not make my own starter I'm afraid but I do make sourdough bread regularly. TBH it has spoilt commercial bread for us now -it does not seem to taste anywhere near as nice.

I use the recipe and method from this YouTube video and have found it to be completely reliable. It gives great results every time. Start the day before you want the bread because it is basically a 24 hour job - I do the last proving in the fridge overnight.

We have a breadmaker which we use at least three times a week so we've already been spoilt! I love sourdough though but it's SO expensive to buy at a baker's.

I had assumed that making a starter was hideously complicated and required masses of scientific knowledge but so far it seems pretty straightforward and is doing everything it's supposed to do.

@IsThisNameTaken I said to DH that Bob would make lots of children that we could give away as presents and he looked at me oddly. Glad to see that it really is a Thing.

@JoannaDory Thanks for the link and the timing tip - hopefully my starter will be ready to go by the middle of next week so I'll watch the video in preparation.

Oh yes, it is very easy to multiply your starter and most of my friends have had some starter from me plus DD at uni who bakes it for her whole flat.

I usually keep two separate starters going (in Kilner jars with clingfilm on top) so that I always have some spare and also just in case something ever went wrong with one - though no sign of that so far.