Hit 500 loaves of sourdough in my home oven and the number threw me

I started a baking log when I got my starter, Fred, going strong about three years ago. Just a notebook by the oven. I added it up yesterday and I've baked 500 loaves, all in my basic home oven. That's a lot of flour and a lot of waiting around. It got me thinking about a real baker's debate. On one side, I feel like that number proves something. It shows commitment, learning from every flat loaf and every good ear. You can't fake that many bakes. But on the other side, does a big home count even matter? A pro bakery would do that in a month, with way more consistent results. My 500th loaf was still a little lopsided. So is the milestone about pure skill, or just stubbornness? For those of you who track your bakes, when did a number make you stop and think?

2 comments

2 Comments

matthewperry9d ago

Wow, 500 is a huge number to see on paper! I hit 200 last fall and had the same weird feeling. It's like, on one hand I can now shape a loaf without it sticking to everything, and my oven spring is usually decent. But then I'll still get a totally dense crumb out of nowhere, like the starter decided to take a day off. It definitely proves you stuck with it through all the frisbee loaves, but it also shows how much random stuff can still happen at home. That mix is kind of the whole point, I guess.

elliotc109d ago

Yeah I used to get so mad when a loaf failed after I'd been doing everything right. Like I'd followed all the steps, my starter was bubbly, and then... a brick. Felt like I was back to square one. But hearing you talk about hitting 200 and still having weird ones actually makes it click. It's not about getting perfect every time, it's that the weird failures are just part of the process forever. That's way more comforting, honestly.