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I’ve already stretched and folded twice. The dough is proofing as I write this. The peace that making bread has brought me is immeasurable. It’s cheaper than therapy (sort of).

Back in 2020, when we were on lockdown, Justine and I turned out bread frequently. We were always home—always feeding, always kneading, always proofing. But once we were allowed outside again, our starters, Tony and Abby, perished. Maybe it was the freedom. Maybe it was the memory of such a terrible time. We didn’t pick it up again until last year (well one of us did).

Justine says baking bread on the regular is now part of her makeup, again.

She nearly perfected gluten-free sourdough, a true feat as anyone knows who has dared to tangle with gluten-free baking. You have to mix several different flours, seeds, and fiber to make up for the lack of gluten structure. The one saving grace is that there are no stretch and folds. Alternatively, it is quite a science and a process— making sure there is the right proportion of ingredients along with technique to give your bread a bacteria to yeast ratio, to create a pleasing balance of crust, tang and loft. Having great bread when you’re not able to consume gluten is such a lifestyle goal worth striving for.

A few towns over, I make the gluten kind. I fail as much as I succeed, but I was lucky enough to take a class with a neighbor who showed me things I didn’t learn when I taught myself through YouTube videos in isolation. I live in a sourdough community. A few of my neighbors sell it and share. One even got popular enough to open a bread shed in another town nearby.

So many of us are looking for healthy alternatives in ancient ways, going back to our roots. Breadmaking is grounding. It forces you to slow down and be patient. The process might be as rewarding as the outcome.

I was inspired by Justine picking it up again. It is a commitment, but it’s doable. As long as you keep your starter happy—follow the rules, put it in the fridge if you go away, feed daily when you’re not away and it’s on the counter—and follow the formulas for the starter and the dough, you’ll be okay.

But then again, bread is very forgiving. Even when we fail, it’s tasty.

How many things in life can we say that about?

Our world looks a little different now, but we are wiser and more greatful. We have RGB (Ruth) and Haven who are active and healthy.

And things are looking lofty.

Maybe.