I’ve been having SO much fun with Rachel from The Food Sage!
A couple of days ago, Rachel posted a question on her blog, asking whether or not boutique bread warranted its expensive price tag. I commented that while our sourdough loaves cost us just 65c each, if I wasn’t able to bake my own, I would happily pay a premium for artisan bread. And that’s because I do bake my own bread, and therefore understand the length and breadth of the process involved.
As I was already feeding up Priscilla (our sourdough starter) to send to Alison at This Blooming Life, I offered to pass some to Rachel as well. After a quick email exchange, we were delighted to discover that we live in adjoining suburbs. We met for coffee the same day, and you know what? Rachel is fabulous. We only had an hour, and found ourselves talking at breakneck speed because there was just so much to discuss!
The following day, her sourdough adventure began. Alison and I were following along in real time on Twitter and The Food Sage blog, and the anticipation nearly did us both in. I kept video calling Rachel like an old mother hen! You can read her full diary account here.
And…despite the dodgy oven with the broken light, and the huge overnight prove, and Mitch threatening to throw out the starter because he thought it was going off, Rachel’s very first loaf of sourdough was perfect.
I can’t wait to see what she bakes next – it’s so exciting to watch someone start on their sourdough journey! (Ali, your turn next!)
PS. I’d prepared quite a lot of starter to send to Alison and Rachel, so I used the leftovers to make a big batch of bagels. They were topped with sesame seeds and black salt, and a bag of them went to our neighbour (and former New Yorker) Jane. The bagels are labour intensive, but great fun to make!
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
Your bagels are really gorgeous, Celia- what a good use for black salt.
And sharing the sourdough love is a gift that DOES just keep giving.
How fortunate your neighbors are ( I know I keep saying that- I keep thinking it!)
Heidi, our friends Jane and Bern came back after five years in New York. I promised them when they came home I’d keep them in bagels! :) Having said that, I don’t think mine are as salty as “proper” ones are.. x
What fun! I love it that you give your sourdough starter a name! I must reactivate mine – it’s been sitting in the fridge hibernating for quite a while and needs an outing! Your bagels look wonderful by the way. E x
Elizabeth, I thought she definitely needed a name, so she became Priscilla, Queen of the Refrigerator! :)
I love the way your bread connects with everyone that you encounter. Lucky, lucky people to have you as a friend, Celia. And the bagels look pretty darned good, too! ;)
Misky, I feel blessed! And bread friends are extra special!
I would definitely pay more for artisan bread as well :)
Tandy, that’s because you make bread, and you know what goes into each loaf! :)
These are lovely. Good job!
Anna, thank you! :)
One day I must get started on my starter! How fun to find bloggers nearby that you can connect and bake with! There are a few in our city but we rarely cross paths.. I think I’m a bit older than most.. so there’s a different connection there:D xx
And I almost forgot!! How could I forget.. those bagels are incredible.. I don’t think I could even buy bagels like that anywhere here, artisan or not! xx
Barb, they tell me Canadian bagels are different, is that right? Montreal bagels apparently have egg in them?
Barb, meeting Rachel was totally serendipitous – I was getting ready to go to the post office to send her starter when we figured out how close we lived! Happy days! :)
Mmm, those bagels look beautiful! I really enjoyed your post, because I have four sourdough starters on the go at the moment… for the sake of scientific comparison!
Aaah Sophie, that sounds familiar. I remember when I had half a dozen starters in the fridge too – now I just have two tubs of the same (one is a backup)!
I think I am gaining weight reading this blog – YUM – grab a knife and a tub of cream cheese and a jar of jam:) Happy Thursday
Cream cheese and jam, Renee? I always thought it went with smoked salmon! ;-) Hope you’re having a great day – weekend is nearly here! x
I want to live nearby to you and Rachel too!!!!
We would definitely need an extra hour for coffee, Lizzy! :) xx
I can’t wait for my turn, what are the odds of the oven going kaput the day after priscilla arrived. I do have a wee little plan though…will keep in touch! And like Lizzy I wish I lived nearby too but that real time twitter was fun! Xxx
Can’t wait to see what you do, Ali! :)
I definitely need to find myself some sourdough starter! I’m dying to make bagels! What a fabulous story, I can’t wait to read these new-to-me blogs!
Clare, the starter is like liquid gold in the fridge – it’s always there, and always reliable. As I mentioned below, I bought mine from Teresa at NW Sourdough, and it’s been going strong for six years! :)
http://www.northwestsourdough.com
I think I’m going to move to your suburb. Preferably your street. But there’s probably a queue a mile long of people wanting to be your neighbour. You are so good at reaching out to people, Celia and SO good at making friends with bloggers. Your Priscilla certainly is the gift that keeps on giving xx
It’s a great name for a bubbly giver of joy, isn’t it Charlie? ;-)
I hate to disappoint all your readers, but the position for “Celia’s Neighbor” in the next life is already taken. I filled all forms, got approval, and that will be that. You guys can sit patiently and wait for the life next to next.
Celia, gorgeous bagels, I only made bagels once and promised myself to never do them again – but who knows, one day I might get up in the right mood for that ;-)
Darling, you are too funny! I would love to live next door to you. If nothing else, you’d make sure I was fit (as opposed to just being able to fit through the doorframe like I am now.. hahaha).
You weave a wonderful bread web! On the economy note of sour dough bread… I pay on average $5.50 per loaf, but sliced finely it keeps for a week in the fridge, and then frozen gives consumption a timespan of weeks.
ED, I’m glad your bread keeps in the fridge – I was always taught to freeze bread rather than refrigerate it – something to do with the humidity and freshness. It doesn’t matter much actually – as entire loaves get eaten daily! ;-)
I went to Pasta Madre Day here in Italy a few days ago, where sour dough starters were given away. Perhaps you could start the movement in Australia. I did a post on it called A bread event in Castelnuovo and there is a link to the Italian site.
Deb, I’ve contemplated putting up a post saying I’d be at such and such a park on a Saturday morning, handing out sourdough starter.. :)
The Pasta Madre Day apparently happened all over Italy. I went to the local one, it was great. There were different types of sour dough bread on offer for us to try as well as the starters being given away.
Oh those Bagels look wonderful!
Kathy, thank you! I managed to hide six in the freezer, so breakfasts this weekend are sorted! :)
I followed Rachel’s journey, too. She did a great job, but was also lucky to have you so handy. Lovely bagels!
Amanda, thank you! How’s your sourdough starter going?
beautiful bagels!
Thank you!
I can’t believe Celia had me baking in under 24 hours! You know, i met up with her at the local shops to collect some of her sourdough starter and she sent me home with a loaf of her home-baked bread and a bag of flour to boot! I certainly didn’t go into my blog post — Question of the Week: Is boutique bread worth the dough? — thinking i’d be baking bread at home before i’d even had a chance to respond to the question! And the live blog while i baked was a spontaneous initiative … and great fun. Celia is a wonderful instructor. And has a well-established fan base, i see. Great blog post, Celia. Those bagels look amazing.
Rachel, it was great fun, thank you for being so enthusiastic! It makes it all so rewarding! :)
What a wonderful friend you are Celia! I’m so impressed that Rachel had a first-time success. Well done Rachel!
I still remember how kind it was of you to send me some sourdough a couple of years ago. I still hang my head sheepishly because sadly he died while I was on holidays :-(.
Those bagels look fantastic!
Just say the word darling, and I’ll get some more to you! :) x
I always love the look of your bagels, so happy and full of bounce. You sound like the energy is really flowing right now and the bread love spreading. Sending love to all bakers near and far xx
Jo, I love that you understand how cool this is! xx
It is so good to share the starters. So funny one of mine is called Prisilla (Rye starter) too. Th other is called Elvis (White Starter)of course. Elvis was gifted to me by Linda from the Witches Kitchen and slowly but surely my bread is getting better.
Fiona, that is SO funny! Because Linda’s starter (Navarone) is the son of my Priscilla! :) Which makes Elvis a grandson, I guess!
Priscilla has quite a few descendants now. She gets around! My sister’s is called Boy George – she seems to be a very rock and roll lady.
Ha! Didn’t you give some to your mum as well, Linda? What was hers called?
I guess there are all kinds of temptations in life! I never thought I would be tempted to try and find sourdough starter [love the idea of naming it: well, it’s live!] and try this myself! Little artisan bread here in the country and my purse has a habit of getting very angry with me anyways, when I forget the word ‘economical’ :D !
Eha, the sourdough journey is great fun! I bought my starter from Northwest Sourdough, and have been delighted with it – mine is the Northwest starter:
http://www.northwestsourdough.com
Oh, Celia! You ARE a gem! That will be on my list of faves like in about five minutes! Shall keep you boringly posted :) !
For a Friday laugh! Guess what: done and dusted. And trust me: got a couple as the cost was really more than reasonable and I had some pin money in my PayPal a/c!! Probably the wrong kinds: chose the Northwest and the Australian! [Sugar: had not looked at your choice; well, at least one of mine is right :) !].
Aaaand…she’s off! :) That’s very exciting Eha, I remember when we ordered our starters, and as you say, it’s very exciting! I don’t know how the Australian starter works, but the Northwest one is an absolute winner! Have fun with them!
They look fantastic Celia. I can never get my bagels to look that good. Do you boil them before you bake them?
Hi Tania, thank you, and yes I do! Here are the two posts I’ve written on them – the first is a tutorial with photos:
https://figjamandlimecordial.com/bagel-making-tutorial/
https://figjamandlimecordial.com/2009/09/05/sourdough-bagels/
Thanks Celia. When it cools down I will give your method a go. See if I can make mine look better. It’s too hot to bake at the moment.
How I long for a good “Brooklyn” bagel. Haven’t had one since I left NYC. Your bagels look sooooo gorgeous, love lots of seeds on my bagel
Norma, you might like the non-sourdough version I make – they’re not quite as laborious and make a much smaller batch?
https://figjamandlimecordial.com/bagel-making-tutorial/
OMG! They look so delicious. I really need to stop all the talking about making bread and actually make it. First step: the starter. Celia, any tips?
Stephen, thank you! I tried to make my own once, and all I grew was purple mould. I’m sure it can be done – my friend Brydie did so very successfully (cityhippyfarmgirl.com) – but I bought mine years ago and have been delighted with it.
I bought it from Teresa at Northwest Sourdough (http://www.northwestsourdough.com) and it’s been brilliant. I actually started out with two – both the San Francisco starter and the Northwest starter work fantastically well – but I think Priscilla is just the Northwest starter now. Or some evolution thereof.
It’s cheap and easy to buy – the shipping from the US is only $5, and the starters are only $6 each. You’ll never look back! :)
I came across your blog whilst on a quest for a recipe for homemade yoghurt having bought an Easiyo whilst on holiday in NZ at Christmas- the sachets are not available here in South Africa. I’m sad that I had not read your posts of some of your favorite food and cooking related spots in Sydney prior to our few days in Sydney en route home. My daughter and I would have loved to visit for eg The Chefs Wharehouse….will have to be the next visit! I have made a successful batch of Biscotti using your recipe, so thank you for both this and yoghurt tips. I’m enjoying your blog! Gill
Gill, thanks for stopping by! The yoghurt is so easy to make, isn’t it? And I’m glad you enjoyed the biscotti, thanks for letting me know! :) Chefs’ Warehouse is definitely worth a visit whenever you’re in town!
How exciting! I have been following Rachels endeavour and cant wait to see how it goes! I have been reading your blog for a while now and just love it! Keep up the lovely posts and beautiful recipes like these bagels!
Anna, thank you! I used to follow you on IG (until I jumped ship).. :)
As the lucky and happy recipient of Celia’s latest batch of DELICIOUS sourdough bagels, I can report that our family fell upon them like savages … and made a way to make them dinner, breakfast and lunch (in that order). Yes, we lived in NY for a few years and H&H Bagels was in our ‘hood. But give me Celia’s bagels in Sydney any day. Made with love and delivered by Pete. xx
I’m glad you liked them, darling! But no idea how you made six bagels last quite that long! :)
I’ve only made bagels once, Celia, and really loved them.You’re a much better bread baker than I am and can only imagine how good your bagels must be. You’re right, though, they are labor-intensive. At one point, I thought my stand mixer had met its match. It prevailed, though, and I thoroughly enjoyed the results. )
John, they are labour-intensive in that there are extra steps, but we’ve kinda got them down pat now. I used to have to take deep breaths and build my chi before starting.. :)
I wrote a tutorial on yeasted bagels which you might find interesting..
https://figjamandlimecordial.com/bagel-making-tutorial/
I loved this Celia and following along on Rachel’s blog was cool. Sharing the sourdough love is awesome. Your bagels look amazing too! Happy Friday x
Jane, thank you! Hope you’re having a great weekend too – I’m madly baking today – brownies, sourdough loaves, school lunch rolls!
What a wonderful way to pay-it-forward Celia! You are such a lovely lady indeed, and how nice to meet up with Rachel as well. Happy baking ladies :) xox
Becca, you’re very kind, thank you! We had a great couple of days! :)
Oh Celia, its a lovely feeling to share your leaven with someone else isin’t it.
I made Dan Lepard’s starter and make one of Joanna’s rye grain breads every week………..it took me an age to perfect this loaf ………..I haven’t attempted anything else.
Elaine, do let Joanna know, I’m sure she’d be delighted! Dan’s book is really great, isn’t it? :)
Your excitement and enthusiasm are so palpable Celia. You are such a generous soul. I think it’s so important to support artisan producers – for one thing it chucks another rock into the supermarkets’ comfy bunkers and also because small scale, hands on production is not cheap. I hate to see the supermarkets just steam rollering over the little guys. You know I really think BDL has something there – you could stage a Mother of all Starters day – I’m sure Priscilla would enjoy the outing!
Jan, wouldn’t it be fun? Everyone could roll up with their takeaway containers and take a couple of tablespoons’ worth home.. ;-)
Your bagels look beautiful and I’m sure your neighbor was thrilled.
Thanks Karen! She was very happy! :)
I totally agree with you Celia- I too would pay more for artisan bread! (and happily do…) How wonderful that you were able to meet up with a fellow blogger! Small world isn’t it? And what an adventure that must’ve been- twitter, video calls… Glad to hear that Rachel’s bread was a success!
PS- Your bagels look like NY bagels. You could’ve fooled me! Do your neighbors know how lucky they are ;) Well done!
Emilie, thank you! I’ve never seen a real NY bagel, so I’m grateful for the feedback! :) xx
LOL! So funny that you named your starter. I have never made a starter before… how do you do it?
I bought it from http://www.northwestsourdough.com!
Lovely looking bagels Celia. It is always inspiring to read about great baking, and oh those buttermilk scones. I don’t even consider scones unless I have buttermilk but to use the real Pepe Saya stuff must have been brilliant.
Hi Craig! The scones were delicious – and surprisingly so much better with buttermilk! Small Man finds them irresistible! :)
Hi Celia, its great there is a new sour dough advocate. BTW my starter is called Petal, short for ‘pet alive’. To remind me it is alive and needs attention.
Glenda, great name! :)
Hi Celia I follow your blog and am a former Sydney sider (North Sydney) for all my years up to about 19 months ago when my husband and I moved to SA – Maitland on the Yorke Peninsula. I love and miss Sydney but decided to follow my passion of always wanting to open a Providore and this will be a first for Maitland. I have always wanted to make sourdough and that is another thing we are short of here – fresh bread and a variety of it. Can you offer me any recipes or hints in the sourdough department – I think I would like to give it a go. Here is my business page if you would like to check it out:
Hi Kristine! Good luck with your new venture – it sounds very exciting! I’ll be posting up a sourdough tutorial tomorrow which might be helpful to you – also if you look under my “Breads” page, there are links to lots of our sourdough recipe. All the best! :)