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That's very relevant for the bread-making process. For starter feeding, though, I'm with the GP post: measuring all the time is a PIA, and totally unnecessary.

That's very relevant for the bread-making process. For starter feeding, though, I'm with the GP post: measuring all the time is a PIA, and totally unnecessary. The margin of error is massive, after a few measures you'll know the consistency to aim for, and if you're too stiff/wet it's dead simple to compensate when baking. Feeding by texture lets you get to know your starter better, follow its rhythms, and makes daily feedings a very easy habit to maintain. We've been pulling this off for 5,000 years without a digital scale :)

saalweachter 8y ago
I think one of the biggest culture divides in baking is the "I love baking, it is so scientific and exact" crowd versus the "Everything makes bread!" crowd. I personally use the big measurements (flour, water, etc) as a rough guide so that I'm in the right ballpark on consistency and don't need to add too much one way or the other to get it right, and usually ignore the smaller measurements entirely (salt, baking soda, cinnamon, vanilla ...) and pour what looks like an appropriate amount in my hand before dumping it in the mix. Fewer dishes to wash that way :-)
- SideburnsOfDoom 8y ago
  > so that I'm in the right ballpark on consistency You can get lack of consistency with an accurate scale, just always experiment, e.g. vary a weight. That way you know what you did also get _repeatability_ if you like the result. > entirely (salt, baking soda, cinnamon, vanilla ...) Sourdough bread famously has only 4 ingredients: flour, water, salt, yeast (starter). Though that's not the whole story, there is also seeds, and more than one kind of flour sometimes. > pour what looks like an appropriate amount in my hand before dumping it in the mix. Fewer dishes to wash that way :-) Measuring by weight is exactly the same, the mixing bowl is on the scale. pour in until the right weight is reached.
SideburnsOfDoom 8y ago
> For starter feeding, though, I'm with the GP post: measuring all the time is a PIA, and totally unnecessary. If you use the same flour every time, and are aiming for the same consistency, then you will want roughly the same amount by weight of it each time. I get that you don't need to be that precise for the starter, but I don't find the weighing process at all hard.

saalweachter 8y ago

I think one of the biggest culture divides in baking is the "I love baking, it is so scientific and exact" crowd versus the "Everything makes bread!" crowd. I personally use the big measurements (flour, water, etc) as a rough guide so that I'm in the right ballpark on consistency and don't need to add too much one way or the other to get it right, and usually ignore the smaller measurements entirely (salt, baking soda, cinnamon, vanilla ...) and pour what looks like an appropriate amount in my hand before dumping it in the mix. Fewer dishes to wash that way :-)

SideburnsOfDoom 8y ago
> so that I'm in the right ballpark on consistency You can get lack of consistency with an accurate scale, just always experiment, e.g. vary a weight. That way you know what you did also get _repeatability_ if you like the result. > entirely (salt, baking soda, cinnamon, vanilla ...) Sourdough bread famously has only 4 ingredients: flour, water, salt, yeast (starter). Though that's not the whole story, there is also seeds, and more than one kind of flour sometimes. > pour what looks like an appropriate amount in my hand before dumping it in the mix. Fewer dishes to wash that way :-) Measuring by weight is exactly the same, the mixing bowl is on the scale. pour in until the right weight is reached.

SideburnsOfDoom 8y ago

> For starter feeding, though, I'm with the GP post: measuring all the time is a PIA, and totally unnecessary. If you use the same flour every time, and are aiming for the same consistency, then you will want roughly the same amount by weight of it each time. I get that you don't need to be that precise for the starter, but I don't find the weighing process at all hard.