Friendly reminder for the sourdough world: honesty will get you way farther than flexing with bad facts. There’s zero shame in using rye, commercial yeast, or an established starter to give things a boost. Sometimes things stall — it happens. What isn’t okay is presenting something as it’s not, especially under the guise of asking a question when it’s really just a flex. That doesn’t help anyone. It leads to bad advice, unnecessary frustration, and slower learning. If you’ve got a gorgeous starter or a beautiful loaf, just say so — let people celebrate with you. That’s what community is for. I’ve been doing this for years, and I’m 100% here for learning, sharing, and growing together. None of that requires exaggeration or attention tactics. Honesty is your biggest flex. It makes you a better baker, gets you better feedback, and helps the whole community grow. And truly…celebrate your wins. Share what’s working and ask when things are not wokring. You never know who you’re helping by being real about your sourdough journey. Photo is a gift of starter and a slightly toasty French bread style loaf I gifted someone at Christmas.

Y’all, I started my sourdough journey just before COVID…just before it was cool. Back then, the internet had barely any info, so I learned by trial and error. Then COVID hit, and suddenly everyone had rules—countless groups, countless websites, countless “must-dos.” Some rules I tried, some I ignored, and I realized I did just fine before all the madness. Now, I’m in a ton of groups and, yes, I freely share my rule-breaking opinions to be flogged on a regular basis. This group? It’s our space to break the rules, embrace happy accidents, and make sourdough fun again. Every loaf has its quirks, every starter has a personality, and every baker… well, you do you! To kick things off, we want to know: what’s one sourdough “rule” you regularly break? Do you feed your starter at midnight? Skip the autolyse? Add an unexpected ingredient? Share your rebellious secrets below — no judgment, only bragging rights. 😎 And here’s my biggest rule-breaking confession: I refuse to keep my starter at a “perfect” temperature. No warming mats, no oven lights, no blankies… NOTHING. My starter lives right here on my counter in my Texas home. It’s a living thing and perfectly happy to adapt to its environment. If your kitchen is between 55°–85°F, it’ll be just fine too! Stick around — in our next post, we’ll dive into what to feed your starter. Spoiler alert: I add a surprise ingredient. Yes, another rule broken. Tune in for my secret!