David Tamarkin

I know exactly the loaf you're talking about. We're talking about a crusty loaf with an open structure. How hard is that to get for a beginner sourdough baker?

I know exactly the loaf you're talking about. We're talking about a crusty loaf with an open structure. How hard is that to get for a beginner sourdough baker?

I feel like I've been doing that the past five years. Let's move on to fermentation and proofing. This was a real pain point for me when I started baking bread. Sometimes, honestly, it still is. Nailing the proof on a final loaf of bread before you slide it in the oven has such an enormous impact on that bread's bake. And I kept on pulling... flat loaves out of the oven in amber.

I feel like I've been doing that the past five years. Let's move on to fermentation and proofing. This was a real pain point for me when I started baking bread. Sometimes, honestly, it still is. Nailing the proof on a final loaf of bread before you slide it in the oven has such an enormous impact on that bread's bake. And I kept on pulling... flat loaves out of the oven in amber.

I don't think I have to tell you that I was not trying to make flatbread here. I was trying to make big, beautiful, bulbous loaves of bread. But I wasn't nailing the proof. I was either under-proofing or over-proofing. What are your tips for bakers for nailing fermentation and proofing?

I don't think I have to tell you that I was not trying to make flatbread here. I was trying to make big, beautiful, bulbous loaves of bread. But I wasn't nailing the proof. I was either under-proofing or over-proofing. What are your tips for bakers for nailing fermentation and proofing?

Another thing I want to talk about, I just was talking about this with my husband yesterday as he was baking bread, is color. There's a lot of different opinions about color. I'm now at a point where my loaf's really dark and I love that sort of almost bitterness that you get from a very dark crust. My husband is not there yet. So when he bakes bread, we have lighter loaves.

Another thing I want to talk about, I just was talking about this with my husband yesterday as he was baking bread, is color. There's a lot of different opinions about color. I'm now at a point where my loaf's really dark and I love that sort of almost bitterness that you get from a very dark crust. My husband is not there yet. So when he bakes bread, we have lighter loaves.

And then sometimes I see some very, very pale loaves. Is there a right color for sourdough?

And then sometimes I see some very, very pale loaves. Is there a right color for sourdough?

So when you talk about the score mark, are you talking about the deepest part of the score or perhaps the ear that forms around the score?

So when you talk about the score mark, are you talking about the deepest part of the score or perhaps the ear that forms around the score?

And you want to see that golden brown?

And you want to see that golden brown?

That's a great tip. I love that. What is one tip, Amber, you would give to a beginner sourdough baker looking to level up their bread?

That's a great tip. I love that. What is one tip, Amber, you would give to a beginner sourdough baker looking to level up their bread?

For everything, really, not just for bread. I was thinking about practice and hours put into bread as you were talking. And I was thinking about the five years you spent in our bakery making bread every day. And I just imagined that when you're a bread baker in a professional setting, that you were constantly...

For everything, really, not just for bread. I was thinking about practice and hours put into bread as you were talking. And I was thinking about the five years you spent in our bakery making bread every day. And I just imagined that when you're a bread baker in a professional setting, that you were constantly...

doing what you just said you're constantly doing the detective work to know like is the dough right it's not it's never quite predictable right like because like you said it's about the moisture in the room the temperature everything there's so many elements um you said it was engineers who who were initially taking several classes i think of an engineer as somebody who like wants to design something that works each and every time i don't know my feeling is i just wonder if you agree with this that bread is never going to be like that

doing what you just said you're constantly doing the detective work to know like is the dough right it's not it's never quite predictable right like because like you said it's about the moisture in the room the temperature everything there's so many elements um you said it was engineers who who were initially taking several classes i think of an engineer as somebody who like wants to design something that works each and every time i don't know my feeling is i just wonder if you agree with this that bread is never going to be like that