Over the past couple of months, I’ve sent out dozens of packets of sourdough starter (the last two I had in the fridge went out today).
Some of the folks who receive them might never get around to using them, others will revive their starter, bake a few loaves, then decide it’s not really for them. And you know what? That’s completely fine. I’m very unprecious about Priscilla – she was sent out as a gift with no strings attached whatsoever.
But for some, the little bag of starter has proven to be a tiny satchel of magic. They begin like everyone else – waking up the wild yeasts, feeding them and watching them bubble, then baking their first loaf. It might not be perfect, but it’s proof of concept, and they’re inspired to try again. Then they’ll bake a second loaf, changing the recipe or methodology just a little bit along the way. By the third loaf, they’re off – they’ve studied books and blogs, experimented with overnight or cold proving, fiddled with hydration levels and bake times, and started adding their starter’s name to birthday cards. They’ve been bitten by the bread equivalent of Peter Parker’s radioactive spider.
With every success or failure, they learn a bit more. Their friends and family get caught up in the excitement, eat far more bread than is recommended by national guidelines, and provide often unsolicited feedback. Slowly, their superpower builds. Almost magically, they can now turn flour and water into food. And they think…just look at what I’ve made! I never thought I could do that. I wonder what else I can do?
A couple of friends have said to me, “you must be so proud of how far Priscilla has spread!” It’s hard to explain, but it’s not really pride that I feel. I know Priscilla is a fabulous starter, and I’m pretty confident most people will be able to make a successful loaf with her, but all I’m doing is sending a few dried flakes and a recipe out in the mail. I’m not making the dough, I’m not even really in the kitchen to talk anyone through the process. So pride is the wrong word.
What I feel is enormous joy at being able to pass on a tiny gift which empowers people. Empowers them to feel good about themselves, knowing they can achieve something they’d previously not thought possible. And along the way, we’re building a worldwide community of excited bakers. It’s been unbelievably satisfying.
I’ve watched Selma go from a perfect first loaf to sharing her starter Twinkle with half a dozen friends across Europe, who in turn have baked their own perfect loaves.
Selma’s Cinnamon Sourdough Fruit Loaf
Annie’s breadmaking skills have developed so rapidly that not only is she distributing loaves to everyone she knows, she’s now teaching others to bake as well.
Annie’s loaves have very sexy curves!
If a text message could squeal with joy, then my old friend Mary’s did at 5am on Saturday morning when she baked her first loaf. Her daughter Polyxeni has become an expert baker overnight, producing loaves that look like they’ve come straight out of an artisan bakery. Things are getting just a little bit competitive in their kitchen…
This was the photo Mary sent me on Saturday morning. I was squealing too!
Polyxeni told me that she is never ever buying bread again…
The stories are too numerous to recount and coming in from all around the globe – Manuela is baking the most amazing bread in a remote part of Canada where bison roam freely. She baked her first loaf one morning, knotted rolls that afternoon, and a second round of loaves in the evening. All on the first day.
Manuela’s wholemeal sourdough loaf has delighted her hubby!
It’s amazing to think we’re baking with related starters all around the world!
Tandy’s starter Cordelia has been living happily in her South African kitchen for a couple of years now, providing enormous satisfaction on a weekly basis…
Tandy’s overnight loaf recipe is on her blog now!
Nancy and Jen in Shanghai are as excited as teenagers over their starters and are now happily sharing them across China. They’ve produced stunning loaves under tricky conditions, wrapping dough in blankets and proving them in bathtubs…
Nancy’s second loaf was even better than her first!
Every loaf of sourdough bread is unique. The discovery of bakers’ yeast in the late 1800s led to large scale bread production because it enabled bakers to replicate results consistently enough to produce commercial quantities. Sourdough is quite the opposite of that – each loaf is slightly different and results can vary on any given day.
More importantly, every baker owns their process. They might start with a given recipe, but by about the third loaf, that’s been tweaked and changed, personalised to the kitchen they’re in and the hands working the dough. I love that. It’s why I ask folks to rename their starter when it arrives – because it’s their starter in their kitchen, and it’s heading off on a brand new sourdough journey.
To everyone out there who has a Priscilla offspring, thank you for sharing your baking adventures with us. It’s been more rewarding that you can possibly imagine!
. . . . .
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
You have a true gift, Celia, not only as a cook, but as a wonderfully generous person who has a lovely way of sharing the love. And you’ve done this through your Priscilla… I just wanted to say thank you. I WILL try baking sour dough… it’s next on my agenda. Much love xox
Thank you Lizzy! Hope you enjoy playing with your starter! :)
I will get there xox
Yum!!!
Bit too yum! :)
Absolutely!
My starter arrived while I’ve been away and is waiting for me (in the fridge) until I get home from my extended training on the East coast. I’m looking forward to baking my first loaf this coming weekend. I’ll send a picture altough the standards are very high. What inspiring bakers there are around the world using the offspring of Priscilla!
Do you have any recommendations for me Celia? Directions?
Liz, the starter was sent with instructions, so they’ll be waiting for you when you get home! There are heaps of posts on our Bread page (tab at the top of the screen) and my friend Emilie has written a guide as well (her starter Dillon is a Priscilla baby too!):
http://www.theclevercarrot.com/2014/01/sourdough-bread-a-beginners-guide/
What a lovely post! I love looking at what others are making, as it inspires me to try something new. You are definitly right; relatives are eating far more bread than the health guidelines call for. Lol. But with such good bread we have a good excuse. My son and nephew love their bread slathered in Nutella. The five children polished o.ff half a loaf for breakfast the other day! I am so glad everyone likes it. My husband even said the bread is better than from the local bakery. Which makes me extremely happy. I have finally found a bread he truely enjoys. Thanks so much for sharing some of Priscilla. Tomorrow I will be starting on another day of baking. Overnight loaf is by far my favorite so far but I will try something new as well.
Manuela, I tell everyone that a Priscilla baby is in bison country! I think it’s absolutely wonderful to be able to share in your bread from the other side of the world – virtually breaking bread together, as it were! :)
I’ve got my lovely packet here on my desk. I bought bread flour today, preparing for my own child of Priscilla to come into the world. I have a question first… Where did the name Priscilla come from? Wish me luck! Maz
Maz, her full name is Priscilla Queen of the Refrigerator, inspired by the fabulous movie of a similar name. She has spawned offspring with both drag queen names and elvis related names! :) Remember to use filtered water or water that has been boiled and then cooled to feed your starter. And once she’s active, always keep a bit back in the fridge as your “reserve tank”! :)
Well, I’ve got my girl started. Following in the tradition of Priscilla and Elvis, I’ve named my starter, “Big Mama” in honor of my Great-Grandmother who, like Elvis, was from Northern Mississippi. She was famous for her homemade biscuits and for being “An Angel on Earth” Looking forward to the afternoon feeding. :-) Maz
Am loving cooking with Priscilla’s offspring Mary – I think each loaf gets better than the last! The overnight method is my favourite I just need to start experimenting a bit more xxx
I bet those men of yours are happy too, Pen! :) xxx
Oh my goodness Celia how absolutely amazing is this bread story of Priscilla! I have yet to birth my Wilbur as we had my dear old nana pass away and my heart has been too full to bake but this is so inspiring I’m going to have a re-read of the process and give it a start with spelt flour. Hope I have good things to report and I did hear the other day about flat breads made with sour dough but couldn’t find the recipe?
Chrissy, I’m so sorry to hear about your grandmother! Pop Wilbur in the fridge until you’re ready to wake him up, and please don’t worry too much if you don’t get around to it. I can always send you more next time. If you do get a chance, I’ll cross my fingers for you with the spelt flour! And we make a sourdough focaccia, but not really a proper flat bread…
Wooooow incredible
Thank you!
Oh Celia, you are truly an inspiration!! I was so excited to receive your precious gift in the mail, and have been feeding Princess Sandy (daughter of Priscilla, Queen of the Dessert ) since yesterday. She’s starting to wake up, but not fully active yet….I presume she needs to be very bubbly before we begin baking? So inspiring to see all these beautiful loaves baked by your friends far and wide….my previous attempts at baking bread were tasty but not so beautiful….I hope I can make some great loaves this time! Thank you Celia for sharing the magic of sourdough! Xxx
Jaqi, I’ve pinged you on a pic on IG. The starter needs to be really bubbly, and she usually needs 3 – 4 feeds to wake up. Are you using regular white bakers flour? I find stonemilled organic flours don’t work as well. Also, filtered water is best if you can, otherwise water that has been boiled and cooled (just for feeding the starter, you probably don’t need it for the dough). If she’s already a bit bubbly, try giving her a good feed tonight before bed and see how she is in the morning! xx
I love this! What a wonderful post, and what a wonderful community you have created :) as you’ve seen, I’ve been baking loaves from the dried starter that Selma sent me and I am just loving seeing the loaves develop and grow – and then get eaten up so quickly by my son!!! Thank you so much for this gift xx
Elaine, it’s been so nice to meet you, I’m glad lovely Selma shared a bit of Twinkle with you! Isn’t she fabulous? I was saying to my friend Kavey just last month – even after nearly a decade of baking sourdough bread, I *still* get a thrill when I take loaves out of the oven. Surprisingly, it’s never become mundane! :)
It’s been lovely to meet you too :) and I completely understand!!!
My husband is anything but a foodie and he was raving about yesterday’s loaf today :) :) what a gift xx
Hi Celia…..your Sourdough is famous! I managed to catch up with Christina a few weeks ago and she told me all about it. I have an interesting story for you on Sourdough Bread. I read that Sourdough if proven for a minimum of 12 hours could be good for Gluten Intolerant people like myself (they are looking into suitability for Coeliacs).
I’ve been told that the trouble with bread here is that they can make it in an hour. In Sourdough due to the length of time taken to prove (in some cases people only prove for a shorter time) the gluten is ‘eaten’ by the yeasts which therefore pre-digests it for people like me!
So off I went to Bakers Delight and asked them how long they prove their Sourdough for. In this case they said minimum of 12 hours but more likely sometimes 13-16. So I bought a loaf…..Oh my goodness I can have 2 to 3 slices with my homemade butter! What makes this story interesting is that the girl behind the counter was a Coeliac.
I have asked Restaurants/Cafes that make their own and generally fall between the 4-6 hour category so I haven’t been game to try them!
I did try to make it once with gluten free flour but it started to go mouldy around the sides of the bowl and I thought it might be the humidity. I haven’t tried since but this post inspired me to do so!
Bon Appetit, Dzintra
Dzintra, hello! Yes, I’d heard that about sourdough – *some* gluten intolerants are ok with it, but not all. I don’t think it’s ok for coeliacs – I have several friends with this condition and none of them can tolerate sourdough made with wheat. I don’t think GF sourdough is possible, as the wild yeast starters need the gluten proteins to rise, but I wish you luck with it! :)
All the bread is wonderful. Congratulations to everyone.
Haven’t they all done so well! :)
I cannot wait to get cracking with my first loaf. Thank you again for uniting us all with your Priscilla.
Have a beautiful week ahead Celia.
:-) Mandy xo
Mandy, I’m so glad Connie finally made it! I hope you have a lovely time with her – if you need any advice about local flours, I’m sure Tandy can advise you! :)
I have made one loaf of bread and it was okay but not that confident I did it right. My sourdough starter has been in a sealed glass jar for 3 weeks now but I haven’t fed it. Do you think I could feed it now and it would be okay or is it too late? Regards Kathy A, Brisbane
Kathy, it might be ok if it’s been in the fridge. Try taking just a little bit out and feeding it up. If it’s been on the bench, then it’s probably gone by now. It needs to live in the fridge and be fed weekly if possible, fortnightly at a minimum. But see how you go…
These loaves are huge. I’ll be going ‘un petite’ to start with I think. After all, there’s only two of us to eat it all and half those buggers at work at GF! I have a name but it’s a secret until I start-er. cheers Fiona : )
Very early for bad puns, Fi!! :D A half batch of the overnight sourdough recipe is a great way to start! You’ll be surprised how quickly a loaf of sourdough will disappear though! :)
I love that the starter has been sitting in the back of my fridge for most of this month as I have been busy with other things… I want to take a nice loaf to a friends for Australia day, so I got it out feed it for a day and wahlah! another loaf of perfect sourdough from Priscilla’s daughter Penelope! Very Cool! Liz xx
Liz, that’s great to know, I’ve never left my starter for that long without feeding her! I try to feed every week, every fortnight at a minimum. So glad she bounced back!
I love the way you have inspired so many to give bread baking a go Celia. The ability you have to make it seem simple is in itself a gift and you should feel pride in that. I love the passion you have for sourdough. It shines through in every post, at the end of which I always want to pull out my flour and start baking. I don’t bake in summer as it is too darn hot to fire up the oven, but I still want to. All because of you.
Tania, you’re very kind, but it IS simple. There’s lots of stuff in the detail, but none of that is really needed at the beginning. I reckon a first loaf is proof of concept, and once someone has achieved that, they can then decide how much deeper into sourdough they want to go. :) I wish I could magic an airconditioner for you so you could bake all year long! :)
No – thank you! We aren’t big bread eaters but I’ve enjoyed the whole process of making sourdough and Rich has certainly enjoyed eating the bread. There’s something quite magical when the knife cuts through the crust for the first time and you hear that crack :) I’ve ordered spelt & rye flour so I can’t wait to experiment with those.
Oh I can’t TELL you how much I’ve enjoyed the emails and tweets and photos with you and Jen! You mad girls, it’s been hilarious! :)
I love your sourdough love – although I don’t have an offspring of priscilla I find your sourdough enthusiasms great in making me try ideas and learn more about sourdough – and I am impressed by all those loaves and the variation – I think you should feel proud of priscilla and her offspring – she keeps great company :-)
Johanna, I know you have your own starter, but if you ever do want a bit of Priscilla, please let me know! I don’t have any right now, but next time..
Breaking bread with others is one of the most basic acts of friendship and love. Isn’t it wonderful that you can spread so much love with a few flakes of dried dough?
Annie, it’s amazing! When I first started baking, I was sharing out wet starter and that was such a palaver – little packets of dodgy looking flakes are much easier to mail! :)
It reminds me of when I was researching my family history and came across distant but related family in New Zealand – our sourdoughs are all little cousins, aunties and uncles who have travelled and settled around the world :)
Yes! I know it’s corny, but I keep saying we’re virtually breaking bread together! :)
Celia you have spread so much joy! Last week I sent 4 packets of starter out to some blog readers and I have requests for more next time I dry some out. It’s just so exciting. I wish everyone would make their own bread. It’s just so satisfying.
Claire, that’s fantastic, hooray for KJ! I wish everyone could make their own bread too! :)
To be empowered and to feel good about oneself is so profound. It may seem to some people as absolute nonsense that making bread, sourdough bread, could do that for someone, but it does! One night, eating a piece of my bread, made from the starter you sent me – my Princess Patsy – I caught myself thinking “i can’t believe I made that!” That felt so good, even though I don’t know anybody else in my immediate circle, apart from my faithful husband, who is as impressed as I am! I love it.
Jan, it really is a superpower, isn’t it! It’s hard to explain to people until they try. And I really think it has to do with the fact that every one of us develops our own sourdough techniques. While we share and learn from each other, it really feels like “our” bread, if you know what I mean. I think your loaves look absolutely amazing! xxx
Funnily enough, my most recent post mentions naming my starter. Well… my second starter. The first died – likely feeling unloved from being unnamed!
None of my loaves are as exciting or successful as those you shared. But give it time.
Have fun with your starter! :)
Is there any chance of being the recipient of a bit of your starter? I did a sourdough baking course Saturday and would love to start the next bit of my sourdough journey with a son or daughter of Priscilla!
I don’t have any to share at the moment, but I’ll probably do another giveaway next Christmas! There’s lot floating around the blogosphere though! :)
This post has given me the impetus to fire up Godscilla and give sourdough baking a go. I just bought a spinning wheel and what better to give my hippy lifestyle some more street cred than home baked bread? Stevie-boy has assured me that he will eat sourdough (so long as it isn’t vinegar bricks ;) ) so what am I waiting for? I guess I don’t want to be “that person” who has to share a photo of something deflated and brick like in the honesty that is shared here, and in communal humiliation to accompany my shame ;). I am going to put my faith in Priscilla and give it the old college try. It’s pretty cold here of late (not like the middle of summer at all!) so perfect for baking and eating bread. Wish me luck Ms Celia…I am going in!
Fran, it’s not a contest. :) Failure is a great thing – every time we cock up, we get better. I reckon it’s more instructive than always getting things right. For example, last weekend, I learnt that you can’t put fresh figs in a sourdough, because then the dough turns into soup and goes bitter. I stuck it through to the end and baked a loaf with a gorgeous looking crumb that tasted like crap. Ah well, the chooks loved it. :)
https://figjamandlimecordial.com/2012/05/30/celebrating-failure/
Lol…I guess you are right celia and whether I make a crap loaf or not, I am animating Godscilla and having a go :)
The timing of receiving this post in my inbox is brilliant – the oven is fired up and I am about to pop my first loaf in. I had a few false starts – prepared the dough the night before, then the next morning had some dramas and had to run out the door so didn’t get to bake it, the second time I had a naughty dog staying over who is a counter surfer (I saw “evidence that he had put his paws on the counter cause the semolina had been cleared near the edge). TODAY IS THE DAY! The oven is on, the dutch oven is in, the dough is on the counter for it’s final rise…..here we go, here we go!!
Nagi, that is HILARIOUS! The dog got to the sourdough! :) Hope the first bake is going well! :)
You have created a little bit of magic with your ‘enthusiasm’, good on you!!! xx
Ardys, thank you! I wish I could share some with you! I don’t know if it’s relevant, but Dzintra’s comment above was about sourdough and gluten intolerance, you might find it interesting?
Hi Celia. I’m a fairly new reader of you blog and l so enjoy it. Especially your adventures of Priscilla. What a wonderful gift to share with others. It has given me so much pleasure, inspiration and encouragement. Thank You!
Thank you for stopping by! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the blog! :)
What a beautifully worded post Celia. I smiled at every story & I was looking at Tandy’s loaf thinking that it was quite a work of art. It’s great fun to hear all of the stories, especially how it’s inspired others to be creative. You have a way of helping others jump in and give it a try as I know is the case with me.
I do have a question though – when Mamie’s been sitting in the fridge for a few days after feeding I notice a separation with liquid on top – is that normal? and should I just leave it as is or keep stirring it?
Well, I don’t think I’ll start on a loaf right now as we’re hunkering down for a mega-storm the likes of which we haven’t seen since 1978. That blizzard shut the state down for almost a week, people weren’t prepared & so many cars were stranded on the highways that plows couldn’t get through. Some people even lost their lives waiting in their cars for help. At least we’ve learned & the governor has declared a state of emergency with no driving after midnight tonight. On a good note – we’ve now got the generator so we won’t be freezing this time. Send us some warm weather in a chubby little package will you?
Oh dear, stay safe Di!! The liquid on top is perfectly normal – it’s known as “hooch” and you can either stir it in or pour it off. I tend to stir it in unless it gets too black, then I pour off. Remember to feed once a week, and if you’re not baking, pour out a bit and discard it (or make pancakes). It works best to keep about a cup of starter in the fridge – any more than that and the amount of dead matter starts to build up and it’s less active. :)
Oh I’m glad that I asked… you know that here “hooch” is a nickname for booze, mostly the kind made in the back woods in a still :)
We should be okay here as long as we have enough gas for the generator & no trees blow down on us. We had trees chopped down in back that were leaning too close to the house a couple years ago & I’m very glad we did that. They’re predicting winds of 50-70 mph & at least 2′ of snow for us here.
Di, I think it actually is alcohol – a byproduct of the yeasts fermenting or something. Take care lovely xxx
How exciting to be getting all the wonderful feedback and the images of the results of all their newly-acquired bread-making skills. Priscilla is certainly sharing herself around the globe xx
I’ve just had more today! It’s been fabulous! :)
That’s a lovely post, how wonderful to see what everyone has done with Priscilla. It’s really inspired me to have a go. I’ve been meaning to try sourdough for a while now, just look at all the possibilities. GG
Thank you! It always amazes me that we can all bake with a related starter and turn out such different loaves!
Another brilliant bread post! It’s wonderful to see your enthusiasm spread across the globe. I am looking forward to the arrival of Priscilla and getting started here.
Gretchen, I hope it gets there soon! Tuck it into the fridge until you’re ready to use it. Hopefully the bad weather doesn’t delay it too much!
Celia! How can I thank you enough for these recipes and the starter! It couldn’t of possibly been easier. It’s true I will never, ever buy bread again! How could I when this tastes so much better then anything I could buy.
We made three loves in two days, two of which have been completely devoured. I look forward to Saturday when I can do the weekly bake again. I have been promising fresh loaves to probably more people then I should so I will be baking no doubt for the entire weekend.. not that I am complaining!
Next we have to get you a 12.5kg bag of flour hon! Your mum is going to kill me! Hahaha x
Nice day for a delicious sourdough Celia! The rain brings out that desire of crunchy homemade sourdough fragrance wafting throughout the whole house and exiting out to the neighbours…..hhahaha, well that’s usually the case in this home! Thanks to you! God bless!
Lina, how fabulous! Your neighbours are very lucky! :)
Thanks for the shout out Celia, and you should be so joyful indeed! I have shared Cordelia with a few friends who don’t blog and some of them are happily using her and as you say, others found it did not work for them :)
Tandy, every time I read something about Cordelia on your blog, it adds a little happy bubble to my day! :)
I am so pleased to see and read this post as I have been feeling really guilty because up till 2 days ago my little packet you so kindly sent all the way to Wales has been sitting unattended! My excuse is that I have been put on a short list (at last!) for a knee replacement operation, my second one, and I was afraid of being admitted while reviving my starter. However, I have now been told it won’t be before the end of March before I go into hospital, such is the state of our overcrowded NHS, so I have now had Priscilla’s offspring coming back to life in my kitchen. She was a bit slow the first day but is now bubbling away so in the next few days I should be able to make some bread at last! I hope mine will be as good as those depicted in your blog Celia, but I know from past experience that it always tastes better than anything you can buy in the shops, at least in our local shops! I will keep you informed and hopefully send you a picture of a beautiful loaf very soon.
Jeannette, you never need an excuse! :) I’m glad your starter is bubbling away happily – what have you named her? x
[…] years ago, a lovely lady called Celia, in Australia, created a sourdough starter, christened Priscilla. Priscilla has been the beginning […]
This post really was beautiful. It is so very exciting that your bread has traveled the world and has it’s own life now. It is such a very fulfilling process baking sourdough and sharing it . congratulations on your bread community .
Thanks darling! When are you coming over to get your starter? :)
[…] Lucy Liu, offspring of Priscilla. I have to tell you , the PRESSURE to come up a name!!!! In the end I couldn’t think of […]
[…] Lucy Liu, offspring of Priscilla. I have to tell you , the PRESSURE to come up a name!!!! In the end I couldn’t think of […]
OK, I bloody give IN ! – I must make a sourdough loaf. I have been fighting against this for years, as I don’t enjoy the sourdough bread I buy from professional bakeries; but I am now prepared to admit that it might well taste better if you make it yourself.
Celia, wherever in Oz you are, do you have a basic recipe, please ? an-overnight-sourdough-in-pictures/ assumes I have a starter. What I need then, is from starter upwards, she said nervously …
[grin]
Hi M-R, I’ve sent you an email! :)
And I have received it – with HUGE pleasure, Celia ! :)