Monday, May 07, 2012

What kind of sourdough are you?


So you take these following smells: (I apologize to the non-Pac. Northwesterners in advance that don't get it) the "Aroma of Tacoma", the sewage plant smell in Renton that you smell as you're driving west on 405 towards Southcenter, "cow farm" smells, the most stinkiest possible cheese you could ever imagine, some really horrible flatulence, and ummm...baby poop...combine all that and you might possibly have the 'yeasty aroma' of Sourdough bread starter. 
Have you ever made sourdough starter (i.e. the beginnings of sourdough bread) at home? The smell is horrid, absolutely horrid, but the most amazing thing is how it makes the most amazing bread, the bread that I absolutely LOVE. It just has to go through many processes to get to the most delicious, finished state.  For 7 days you have to take a cup out of the starter and replace it with 1/2 c. water and 1/2 c. flour and stir, without fainting or vomiting.  It's almost like pancake batter, with a almost alien-like spongy, bubbly texture. 
Just like us, we go through a lot of stinky transitions, processes, learning curves, opportunities and slowly and sometimes painfully, we get transformed into a warm, crusty, nice thick slice of bread with some butter and jam smeared all over yourself.  Or maybe you're a big bread bowl with some steamy clam chowder ladled into the middle, or a delicious grilled cheese sandwich with some extra sharp cheddar, or a cold BLT with avocado and mayonnaise.  Or French toast, soft, warm, eggy crust, with maple syrup, powdered sugar, maybe some strawberries and whipped cream? Oh the possibilities... 
Thoughts?

5 comments:

Jody Lee Collins said...

wow.........what a great analogy! I like that when the sourdough starter is sitting in the bowl it gives off different gassy smells....just Jesus get rid of the old us and making room for the new Him.
I want to be french toast. :-)

Lisa notes... said...

I think I'll be a homemade biscuit smothered in Golden Eagle syrup. :-)

Although I'm not familiar with the specifics you mentioned, I can easily conjure up similar smells from my neck of the woods. Driving past a paper mill is one of the worst...or the water treatment plant. But you're right that what they produce is worth it! I'm glad God works that way with us too.

Glad we're in the same SDG group!

Leah Johnson said...

That's what the "aroma of Tacoma" is--paper mill :)

Barbara said...

Smells are so powerful... your post made me smile, because I think that cow farm smells are so lovely. When I was a child and my mom and I used to take walks next to a farm, she would tell me to inhale deeply and call it "the smell of health."

Carolyn Evaine Counterman said...

Now I'm hungry. I don't know what type of bread I am, but I do feel doughy. :)