TIL that fancy sourdough starter kit cost me $45 and a month of my life

Everyone online said I needed the special ceramic crock and imported rye flour. Bought the whole kit from a fancy bakery supply site. Followed the instructions for four weeks. My starter never got active like my friend's, which she made with just tap water and cheap white flour in a mason jar. I'm out the cash and all that time feeding a dud. Honestly, skip the expensive gear. Anyone have a simple method that actually works?

3 comments

3 Comments

robin6281mo ago

Ugh this hits home. It feels like every hobby now has a gate kept "right way" that costs a fortune. I see it with coffee, plants, you name it. The simple free method gets buried under ads for the perfect gear. Your friend proved the fancy stuff is just for show, not for better results.

robin5911mo ago

So @robin628, what hobby got ruined for YOU this way?

jenny471mo ago

My sister's sourdough starter is three years old and lives in a plastic takeout container. She feeds it leftover pizza crust sometimes. It makes better bread than the artisanal bakery down the street. The whole "you need this exact thing" is just marketing to make you feel like you're doing it wrong without their stuff. It's crazy how much they charge for a jar and some flour.