Hit 500 sourdough loaves baked this morning and I still can't believe it

I was just wiping down my counter after pulling a batch out of the oven and it hit me that I've baked exactly 500 loaves since I started keeping track back in 2021. That first loaf looked like a deflated frisbee, I swear the crust was tougher than a boot heel. Now I can tell just by the feel of the dough if it needs another hour of proofing. Has anyone else kept a tally of their bakes and been surprised by the number?

3 comments

3 Comments

brooket433d ago

500 loaves in three years is wild. I think I've made maybe 15 total since 2022 and I still get those frisbee failures sometimes. That feel thing you're talking about is so real though. I remember the first time I could actually tell the dough was done rising just by poking it, felt like a total win. Did you ever have a specific moment where it finally clicked for you?

nina_taylor3d ago

Wait, is it really that deep? I mean I get being proud of figuring out dough feel and all, but 500 loaves sounds like a flex for the internet more than anything.

lewis.brian3d ago

Jump right in and say that's a real thing. The whole "feel" thing is just muscle memory for your brain, like how after driving the same route for a month you don't even think about the turns anymore. @brooket43 hit on something important. It's not just about baking, it's the same with anything you do over and over. I've noticed that with grilling meat or even just packing my car for a trip. That point where your hands know more than your head does, that's the real win. The 500 number is just a cool bonus.