The Lemonade House

This here is the 2nd sourdough loaf I have ever made. My first attempt went ok, but unfortunatley I didn’t cook it long enough. The loaf was still gummy on the inside and not completely crispy on the outside. I was determined to create the ever-elusive perfect sourdough loaf. I had everything I needed, how hard could it be?  I took out my starter in the late morning, refreshing it with some new flour and water. After dinner, hours later, my starter was bubbly and ready. I used the “Same-Day sourdough bread” recipe and mixed up the dough until it passed the window pane test. I let it sit on the counter to rise a good 8 hours until the stretches and folds.  I wasn’t sure if this recipe would turn out as I hoped. I am still pretty new to baking with sourdough and using a cast iron pot. Also it was hard to get the timing right wedged between the needs of my children. It’s never easy baking with children underfoot but I believe the struggle is always worth it.  There were 15 m...

Welcome to The Lemonade House! My space to share all my cooking and baking endeavors, photos, insights, and stories from the kitchen. I chose the name “The Lemonade House” because this is where all my cooking and baking takes place, in our little home on the avenue. More than just referencing the faded yellow paint color and the big lemon tree, it also represents possibility, hope, and making sour things sweet. —————— I fumbled through my new role as family chef those first months of marriage. Though I knew my way around the kitchen, I often made mistakes when cooking - like adding too much salt or over-cooking the meat. Some recipes were turned out great and others were less than mediocre. Salvador was my supportive taste tester, always giving me honest feedback rating from 1-10. I made sure to save the recipes he loved and forget the others.  As time has passed, being in the kitchen has evolved into a fun, creative outlet. I have grown to love the process of scouring my cookbooks...