The best tips for baking sourdough bread at home (now that everyone's doing it)

As people across America have been spending more time indoors, many are trying new DIY projects to help pass the time. But one craft project in particular—baking bread—has not only has become a sign of the times, but a way to broadcast on social media that your at-home cooking is the best it’s ever been. To that end, there seems to be some conspiracy pushing sourdough as the end-all-be-all of good, homemade bread. There are other breads out there, but sourdough has for whatever reason become almost a badge of honor for millennial productivity—especially New Yorkers living in cramped quarters.

There are many reasons why baking your own sourdough loaf is the perfect 2020 project: Sourdough starters are living organisms and can function almost like a pet for us lonely folks out here—they need attention, care, and touch, which can be an exciting prospect during a time of social distancing. For those who may have recently lost jobs, it's also another way to nourish ourselves and families on the cheap. Perhaps the most enticing reason, however, is that bread making can be very therapeutic—essential in stressful times like now when our mental health is more important than ever and likely at its most fragile. And, duh, the scored crusts and bubbling holes photograph beautifully for the 'Gram. So if you’re looking to feed your feed, we thought we’d share some of our favorite videos that we’ve found helpful for learning the basics. 

How to prepare your sourdough starter: 

How to make your dough: 

How to bake your sourdough bread:

How to continue to keep your starter alive for next time (you know there will be a next time!)

Other ideas for what to do with your starter:

How to create gorgeous scoring designs with your bread:

And if you realize baking bread isn’t your thing—we get it, it takes a lot of practice—head to one of the best bakeries in NYC to check out their to-go or delivery options.