Ron wrote to rec.food.sourdough, on Jan 16, 2004:
> Well, the Carl's start came in the mail a couple days ago. I put myself to
> the task of activating it straight away. Followed the modern directions from
> the web site and just as it said step 3 a very active starter. I used the
> recipe for SF SD from Carl's brochure, using my just 24 hour young start.
Later, Ron followed up with more detail:
[Sponge]:
As in recipe: Starter - 2/3 cup, Water - 1 cup, White flour - 1 1/2 cup, let
ferment 24 hours.
[Kneading]:
> Mixed in Kitchen Aid 5-qt. mixer with dough hook 15 mins. Autolyse 15 mins,
> add salt, mix adding a tablespoon or two more flour to get the dough to let
> up from the bowl sides. Hand knead a few minutes and form into a ball. Placed
> in bowl for 2.5 hours cover in plastic wrap in cold oven with light on.
[Flour]:
> King Arthur unbleached bread flour
[Hydration]:
> Not real sure but the consistency was about the same as 67% hydration I have
> made in the past. The dough took 7 cups flour, plus the bench flour and the
> mentioned one or two tablespoons.
["Proofing"]:
> These loaves were proofed on the sheet (as described by another poster
> but slashed immediately before baking and with the substitution of
> jelly glasses full of warm water for cellulose sponges to bolster humidity).
[Baking]:
> Preheated oven to 450, baked 2 loaves on a cookie sheet. (Oven "spritzed"
> at 0, 3, 6, and 9 minutes).
> (In general) this is the recipe from the OT brochure. (San Francisco Sourdough
> Bread, reprinted from Bread Alone by Daniel Leader & Judith Blahnik.)
(Material has been edited and modified with the contributor's approval. -webmaster)