I did try to make a starter yonks ago but in my ignorance I though it had gone bad so I chucked it.
Turns out what was happening was completely fine and I should have persevered. Anyway, I’ve had some good tips from my friend and she recommended some YouTube videos which I’ve been watching.
I realise it’s a learning curve so I’m not confident about the first attempt(s) but as long as I learn and improve, that’s ok.
Looking forward to the journey. I’ve killed a few but mostly through neglect. And mostly the kids preferring a sandwich loaf at best
I haven’t made it for years but liked the overnight fridge prove and dutch oven method
First rough mix
After four folding sessions
Now it will sit in the kitchen until morning. Then final folding, balling up and into the banneton which will go into the fridge for 4 hrs before scoring and into the dutch oven.
It’s looking reasonably ok up to now but there’s a long way to go…
Recipe? ie how much flour, water & culture?
This one
I lurve sourdough. I’ll come home from the bakery with a loaf I picked up for a particular meal, decide to have a “taste”, eat whole loaf in one go, and have to go back to the bakery later for another 
You might not love mine! It’s my first attempt, it could come out like a foundation stone for the M25 flyover
500g/350g/50g + 2tsps salt
It was actually nearer to 60g of starter (hard to judge how much you spoon in) but I just left it at that, rather than try and remove the extra 10g
It will eat through flour if you don’t make !1
Oops I thought that was your starter
Apologies
It has definitely over-proved during the night 
I gave it a good fold and it’s in the banneton in the fridge for a few hours now but I think it will spread when it goes into the dutch oven later this afternoon.
Eek!
As I suspected, despite 3 1/2 hrs in the fridge, it collapsed somewhat when I took it out of the banneton. So ended up as a fairly flat loaf. It did get some oven spring which improved things slightly.
It sounds hollow when I tap the bottom and doesn’t feel like a curling stone (even though it looks like one!) so I imagine it will be edible, at least.
Remains to be seen what the crumb is like, once it cools I’ll slice into it.
I don’t really like it. Tastes wrong to me.
I actually enjoy the flavour. But it’s more the texture and crust. Works well as a mop for gravies and sauces
They always look amazing and then I start eating it and feel let down haha
Nice. The bakery loafs I buy have a similar “flat” top and the crumb looks the same.
I’d say you’ve nailed it
My other half, who is the queen of obscure superstitions, says holes in the middle of a loaf are a unlucky…..
Sourdough #2
Carried out the bulk fermentation (overnight) in the porch, where it is much cooler and it seems to have been more successful, no over-proving this time.
Decent oven spring and retained its shape a little better.
I’m sure there’s still a lot of room for improvement but reasonably happy so far.
