Comments on Farine: Gérard Rubaud on working the levain

I actually kind of like the name...;-) Yes, I feel...

2011-12-26T16:37:14.654-08:00

I actually kind of like the name...;-) Yes, I feel truly privileged to have a friend like Gérard.

@Barbara, better than ok! @Reno, thank you so muc...

2011-12-26T10:25:49.476-08:00

@Barbara, better than ok!
@Reno, thank you so much!

Your impressive and unique content amazed me. You ...

2011-12-26T01:55:28.208-08:00

Your impressive and unique content amazed me. You have written perfect piece.

hi and thank you for the answers. I think I am goi...

2011-11-28T04:17:01.755-08:00

hi and thank you for the answers. I think I am going to try Gerard method, as I miss my starter when I keep it in the fridge. Need a daily contact with the ferments :) I feed it with bread flour (organic and stone ground), do you think it's ok?

@Connie, you can call me Farine too. I actually ki...

2011-11-27T14:35:26.021-08:00

@Connie, you can call me Farine too. I actually kind of like the name...;-) Yes, I feel truly privileged to have a friend like Gérard.
@Barbara, a starter which doubles or triples so fast at 70°F is a very healthy and active one. I know you feed it all organic flour but do you use all-purpose or a blend of different grains? And yes, Gérard says that if you feed your starter as soon as it doubles the day before baking, you should get very well-risen bread. As far as keeping it in the fridge goes, it is truly a matter of the acids/aromas you are looking for. G thinks a starving starter starts developing undesirable flavors, that's why he recommends feeding it daily even when it is kept in the fridge (take it out, feed it, keep it at warm temperature until it doubles, then put it back in the fridge). But whatever works for you is surely fine. If you don't get any undesirable aromas when you leave it alone for 5 days, I would just keep on doing what you are doing. Your starter certainly seems in top condition.
@Jeremy, you don't have to change all of a sudden. It might be interesting to try using a thermometer once or twice instead of just your hands and see whether or not it makes a difference in your bread... Keep us posted!

I love these updates, as I have changed my levains...

2011-11-27T10:25:25.663-08:00

I love these updates, as I have changed my levains from liquid in this changing of seasons, to a desem which is sometimes mixed with my liquid levain to make a sort of hybridized ferment! Still to lazy to measure temperatures with a thermometer...more or less using my hands and lazy technique skill, perhaps I should just evolve like Gerard has!

I am loving so much these posts on Monsieur Rubaud...

2011-11-27T08:40:03.539-08:00

I am loving so much these posts on Monsieur Rubaud. I have so much to learn and it's great to get the information so nicely delivered through your writing and your beautiful pictures. I have to say, I am starting to love this guy. I also am a little skeptical towards this super macho loaves with more holes than crumb. And I am totally with him when he says that you have to go after a specific texture and taste and then refine the method. My first aim when starting to bake bread (just a few months ago) was to reproduce a specific loaf of bread I tasted in my childhood (something similar to the now famous Genzano country bread) and the results are encouraging so far. But the variations on the theme are infinite and I really want to get to understand the ferments and the dough, which are still fascinating mysteries to me.
For instance, good point you raise about the levain, My starter, on a good day, double in 2 hours at room temperature (about 70 degrees Farhenheit) and triples after 3 hours. I think that is good isn't it? I am realizing more and more that I actually have to shorten all the fermentation times suggested in bread recipes as my levain raise super fast and gets over proofed very easily.
I also like a lot this idea of accelerating the feedings before starting the process... does it mean that I can feed every 2-3 hours, just as soon as it doubles? And about keeping the starter in the fridge... you mean that one needs to feed it once a day even when refrigerating it? I thought once every 5 days was enough... I am so eager to learn this all! sorry for all the questions.

Hi MC or as I used to call you Farine (which means...

2011-11-26T22:18:52.127-08:00

Hi MC or as I used to call you Farine (which means flour as I recently found out), thanks for sharing Gerard Rubaud's wisdom. I have to read it again to grasp it. It's great to have a friend like him.