Hello, and welcome!
Welcome to my corner of the sourdough world! I'm Irina, the baker, recipe creator, and all-around sourdough enthusiast behind this website.
If you've landed here, it's probably because you're as curious about sourdough as I am, and I'm so excited to share my journey with you.
Let me take you back to where it all began. I was just nine years old when I first found myself in the kitchen, poring over old cookbooks and family magazines. I didn't know it then, but that's when my love affair with baking began.
What started as a fun way to spend my free time slowly grew into something much bigger-a lifelong passion that turned into this website dedicated to all things sourdough.
Fast forward to today, and I'm still just as excited about baking as I was back then. I've spent over 30 years honing my craft and diving deeper into the art of sourdough.
In fact, the past two years have been all about getting my hands into the dough, crafting hundreds of loaves, and perfecting all things sourdough. But my real passion is helping you, whether you're just starting out or already in the thick of your sourdough journey.
My sourdough experience
So, why sourdough? When I first got hooked on sourdough, I'll admit, I was all about those stunning decorative scores. I wanted to make my loaves look like works of art.
But as I kept baking and experimenting, I realized that what really meant to me was perfecting the bread itself. I wanted to create bread that tasted amazing, bread that you could enjoy with every meal. That's when I knew my focus had to shift toward the fundamentals: flavor, texture, and consistency.
Here's the thing: Making sourdough is a journey. It's not just about mixing flour, water, and salt. It's about the process, the rhythm of the dough, and getting to know your kitchen.
I want to show you that sourdough baking doesn't have to be intimidating or complicated. In fact, it should feel natural and even a little bit magical. I share all my tips, tricks, and step-by-step guides, so you can fit sourdough baking into your life, no matter how busy you are.
What makes this website different?
- Real experience: I've baked hundreds of sourdough loaves, refining my techniques so they're just right for home bakers like you.
- A local business: I'm a licensed Cottage Food baker (yes, that's a real thing!) and sell my sourdough bread in my community.
- Community first: I believe in giving back, so I donate loaves of bread to local shelters and others in need.
- Tested recipes: Every recipe and tutorial I share is something I've tested in my own kitchen to make sure it works for you.
- For beginners: Whether you're a beginner or a busy parent, my goal is to make sourdough baking as easy and accessible as possible.
A little more about me:
- Over 30 years of home baking experience
- 2000+ loaves of sourdough baked (I'm practically married to my dough)
- Licensed Cottage Food Baker (Cottage Foods Permit No. 1951 in Washington State, USA)
- Food blogger and content creator since 2018
- HarvardX "Food Fermentation" course grad - earned a certificate!
- Currently working on writing a cookbook and creating a sourdough course to share everything I've learned.
Contact
If you've got questions, thoughts, or just want to chat about sourdough, I'd love to hear from you. Send me an email at [email protected] and... let's talk sourdough.