Do you want to know how to make ridiculously decadent and delicious eggs Benedict, start(er) to finish?

Read on.

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Wheat eaters have it SO easy, don’t they?

They can grab any old cracker, chip or toasted bread when they want something to scoop up their favorite spread. We, the gluten-intolerant, have fewer choices when it comes to this mission. I myself often reach for the box of rice crackers, or make chips out of veggies such as carrots or kale.

Would it be too much to ask for something that would provide a little double-duty? One that could play the role of soft sandwich ends OR crispy snacker chip thingy if toasted to perfection?

How about something tangy that could be chewy or crunchy depending on the mood or needs? And better yet, haven’t you been waiting for more excuses to use your gluten-free sourdough starter anyway? Think flatbread.

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Popovers.

Their name is almost onomatopoetic, isn’t it? (Can’t believe I spelled THAT one right on the first try!)

I mean, when you put popovers into the oven, they look like calm, cream-colored lakes, serene as a summer sunrise.

But 15 or 20 minutes later – POP! Up they go, the steam created by the very-liquid batter hitting the just-formed flour/egg crust and carrying the whole shebang up, up, and away.

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I promised to get busy developing some yeast recipes for the sourdough starter that I introduced a few months ago and thought English muffins would be a good first challenge. I’ve had a fair taste-test run with a variety of gluten-free English muffins; mostly the kind you buy frozen in the grocery store.

Deal-breaker #1: One muffin costs about the same amount as the ingredients to make them at home. Make your own batch!

Deal-breaker #2: Most all of them were shaped like English muffins, but when broken into, were no different than a lightened gluten-free white bread: soft and spongy with an even crumb, no nooks or crannies.

I may as well have taken a biscuit cutter to a loaf of bread and saved the money.

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Here is a long-awaited story of creation: my quest to build a gluten-free sourdough starter.

It began in my kitchen at home after I had discovered a gluten-free English muffin recipe and was intrigued by the thought of using sourdough starter.

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When you think sourdough, you probably think:

A) San Francisco;
B) Crusty bread;
C) A lot of of work to make.

None of which paint an accurate picture of the sourdough bread pictured above. Which is:

A) A Vermont native;
B) Soft inside, with a chewy crust;
C) Potentially ready to enjoy in under 4 hours.

Have I piqued your interest?

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Sourdough bread.

For many, it’s the Mt. Everest of bread baking.

If you can “conquer” sourdough, there’s nothing you can’t do, bread-wise.

Not surprisingly, many new bread bakers want to jump right in and begin with sourdough. After all, it’s so distinctive; so delicious; so… well, trendy.

But tackling sourdough bread your first time out of the gate is like nosing into traffic on the Indianapolis 500 speedway when you’ve just gotten your learner’s permit.

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Q. What do you call a savory bread pudding, made with sourdough bread, asparagus, ham, cheese, and eggs?

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How’s your starter doing?

Fresh sourdough starter is a wonderful resource. Bread, pancakes, waffles, cake… there are so many delicious directions you can take with sourdough.

The key: maintaining your sourdough starter so that it’s healthy, happy, and ready to go when you are.

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Sourdough.

Whether it conjures up a crusty, flavorful loaf of bread or a bubbling crock of flour/water starter, sourdough is a treasured part of many bakers’ kitchens.

But where does the path to sourdough bread begin? And how do you start?

Start in your own home kitchen. And begin by creating your own sourdough starter.

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