I think it’s important to develop a relationship with your starter. After all, it’s alive. When you give it a name, you start treating it differently. You anthropomorphize it a little. It becomes something you care for, like a pet. You feed it, you check on it, you pay attention to its moods. And here’s the thing: when you care about it, you take better care of it. Simple as that. So if you haven’t named yours yet, now’s the time. Think of something clever, something meaningful, something that makes you smile when you open the fridge. I’ll start. My starter’s name is Vitale. It means “life giver.” My daughter named it, and it stuck. Now your turn. Drop your starter’s name below. And if you don’t have one yet, let’s hear what you come up with!

I want to hear from you. Whether you're brand new to bread or you've been baking for years, we all hit walls. Maybe it's shaping. Maybe your starter is acting moody. Maybe you can't get the crust you want or your crumb stays dense no matter what you try. Drop your biggest challenge below and I'll do my best to help. Bonus: you'll probably find out you're not alone. No question is too basic. We're all here to learn.