Making Friends with Ferments

On March 2, 2023November 18, 2023 By Julie Laing | Twice As TastyIn Column, fermented, Workshops1 Comment

One of my favorite spring-transition traditions in Montana is Free the Seeds, a free, daylong seed giveaway and workshop fair that teaches about real seeds, real food, and real skills. I’ve been teaching workshops at the event for several years and am excited to be back in person for the 8th annual Free the Seeds on March 4.

As I share this week in my Twice as Tasty column for the Flathead Beacon, my Making Friends with Ferments workshop is just 1 of 27 on the day’s schedule for this year, with the others ranging from garden plants and skills, to keeping bees and chickens, to topics aimed at this year’s theme: cultivating community.
Learn to make more about making friends with ferments

Stovetop Sourdough English Muffins

On January 26, 2023December 27, 2023 By Julie Laing | Twice As TastyIn Column, sourdough3 Comments

I baked up a batch of sourdough English muffins a few weeks ago and rediscovered just how easy they are to make. That’s not how I had remembered them, and looking back over my notes, I realized it was because it took several tries to create a recipe that had almost no kneading, allowed a long ferment time, and could be cooked entirely on the stovetop.

That latter quality was the reason I pulled out the recipe after ignoring it for so long: we’re in the middle of a house remodel, so I’ve been a bit transient for the last few months, most recently staying in a family guesthouse with a functioning stovetop but a nonworking oven. I’m now baking a new batch of sourdough English muffins every time we polish off the last one. It seemed well worth sharing as the final Sourdough Month recipe in my Twice as Tasty column for the Flathead Beacon.

The 6th Annual Sourdough Giveaway has been a huge success; so far, I’ve sent out more than 250 packets of sourdough starter! It is winding down, so sign up by January 31, 2023, if you want me to send you a free packet of my own sourdough starter.
Learn to make Stovetop Sourdough English Muffins

Pillowy Sourdough Pita

On January 19, 2023January 4, 2024 By Julie Laing | Twice As TastyIn Column, sourdoughLeave a comment

It’s always rewarding to pull a sourdough creation from the oven, but pita bread has a bonus fun factor. As they bake, sourdough pitas puff into floury pillows, holding their shape until they hit the cooling rack. When they cool, they collapse into flatbread ready to be stuffed with fillings or rebaked as chips.

As I explain this week in my Twice as Tasty column for the Flathead Beacon, a few tricks help with the rise and fall of sourdough pita bread, but don’t worry if a few pita rounds refuse to puff evenly—they’ll still be tasty, and with practice, you’ll become better at rolling the rounds and timing the baking for pillowy sourdough pita.
Learn to make Pillowy Sourdough Pita

Sourdough Power Waffles

On January 12, 2023December 27, 2023 By Julie Laing | Twice As TastyIn Column, sourdoughLeave a comment

When you think of sourdough, you probably picture a loaf of tangy, tasty bread. But you have so many more ways to use sourdough, as I’ll be sharing all month in my Twice as Tasty column for the Flathead Beacon. Some of my favorites can use what many people call sourdough discard. I consider the word “discard” to be a misnomer, because I never actually throw out starter—even when I’m waking up a starter that’s been dormant for months or rehydrating a new-to-me starter, like the one I’m giving away until January 31, 2023. You can learn more about the giveaway here.

Get Starter

Instead of discarding weak starter, I use it in numerous baked goods that don’t need a lot of rising oomph, including pancakes and waffles. Either sourdough breakfast option has enough flavor that you can simply serve them with butter and syrup, but more filling toppings give the waffles in my latest column their “power” name.
Learn to make Sourdough Power Waffles

6th Annual Sourdough Giveaway

On January 5, 2023December 27, 2023 By Julie Laing | Twice As TastyIn Column, Giveaway, sourdough2 Comments

Welcome to the 6th Annual Sourdough Giveaway! I’ve been sharing my starter every January since I started this blog, but last year’s giveaway broke all of my records, with 154 sourdough packets leaving my kitchen and heading out into the world.

Many of those packets went to readers of my Twice as Tasty column in the Flathead Beacon, so thank you for supporting local journalism, as well as reading my column and blog. Twice as Tasty starter has now traveled to Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Slovenia, and throughout the United States, and I hope to share it with even more new sourdough bakers this year. Request your starter by the end of January to get in on the sourdough adventures.
Read more about starting with sourdough

Sourdough Cabin Bread

On January 27, 2022December 27, 2023 By Julie Laing | Twice As TastyIn Column, sourdough2 Comments

This week’s Twice as Tasty column for the Flathead Beacon wraps up Sourdough Month, which has been a resounding success. I’ve sent out more than 100 packets of sourdough starter, and there are still a few days left of the giveaway. If you’re just now learning about the giveaway, you can read about it and my starter in this blog post.

To round out the month, I’m sharing my first and still favorite sourdough bread recipe. My niece and nephew initially called it Auntie Julie’s Special Bread, because they only ate it when I visited with a loaf. It’s lost that title now that my brother-in-law bakes with sourdough starter. It may be less special, but that doesn’t make it any less delicious.
Learn to make Sourdough Cabin Bread

Sourdough Pizza Dough

On January 20, 2022February 2, 2026 By Julie Laing | Twice As TastyIn Column, sourdough1 Comment

A wise chef once said everyone should have a ball of pizza dough in their refrigerator—and I think that’s doubly true for sourdough. The recipe I share this week in my Twice as Tasty column for the Flathead Beacon has so much going for it. It’s straightforward, relatively quick (for a low-knead, long-ferment dough), and has so many uses, including one of my new favorite recipes: garlic knots.

You can make this dough with bubbly active starter that’s begging to be used, or you can make it with lackluster starter that wants to be refreshed before you attempt bread. The dough can sit in the fridge for up to 3 days and bake up beautifully; it also freezes well. All you need is some flour (I use two types for better flavor, but you can stick with just all-purpose), water (unchlorinated is best), salt, and starter.

How do you get starter? I’m giving away my personal starter to help you jump-start your sourdough adventures. The 5th Annual Sourdough Giveaway runs through January 31, 2022.
Learn to make Sourdough Pizza Dough and Sourdough Garlic Knots

Overnight Sourdough Pancakes

On January 13, 2022January 4, 2024 By Julie Laing | Twice As TastyIn Column, sourdough2 Comments

Got starter? If yes, you’re likely all set to make the recipe I share this week in my Twice as Tasty column for the Flathead Beacon. If no, get some of my starter and get in on the fun! The 5th Annual Sourdough Giveaway runs through January 31. Learn how to get free starter here.

When I was gifted my original starter in 2014, it didn’t wake up quickly, like the dehydrated starter you’ll receive from me. It had been lurking in a refrigerator until it was in full hibernation mode. It lacked the rising power necessary for a loaf of bread. As I cared for it, the starter became stronger and bubbled more quickly. In the process, I removed weaker starter that wouldn’t power a loaf of bread but could be turned into delicious pancakes.
Learn to make Overnight Sourdough Pancakes and Sourdough–Yogurt Pancakes

5th Annual Sourdough Giveaway

On January 6, 2022December 27, 2023 By Julie Laing | Twice As TastyIn Column, sourdough3 Comments

It’s January, which means Sourdough Month here on Twice as Tasty—and the 5th Annual Sourdough Giveaway! It’s hard to believe that I’ve been sending my sourdough starter out into the world for so many years. I’ve been committed to sharing my starter every January since I started the blog, with additional packets distributed during the extended giveaway last year and occasional random requests throughout each year. Twice as Tasty starter has now traveled to Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Slovenia, and throughout the United States.

This year, I’m excited to share sourdough starter across the world but also closer to home. I’m offering my starter and will be sharing sourdough recipes all month through my Twice as Tasty column for the Flathead Beacon, as well as here on the blog. Request your starter by January 31 to get in on the sourdough adventures.
Read more about starting with sourdough