A Sourdough Time-Lapse On Instagram Has People Talking

Early on in the pandemic, making homemade sourdough starter was trending, but it soon got a little controversial. Part of the reason is because of the time and care it takes to do so, and as such, it might not be the best bread for a new baker. But, if you want to give it a try, here's everything you should know before making a sourdough starter, from what flour to use to what temperature to store it.

Once you've got your starter and it's ready to bake, you can put your first loaf of rustic sourdough bread in the oven. But there are plenty of other recipes to try too. That includes sourdough pizza crust and sourdough pretzels. Although the variety of uses and its tangy taste make it an incredibly satisfying bread, for some people, there's also another enjoyable aspect of baking with sourdough: Watching the starter rise. Recently, Food Network posted a video of a growing sourdough starter and though many loved it, there's been some mixed reactions to it, too.

Recently, Food Network posted a video on their Instagram page of a sourdough starter rising, and it's since received more than 20,000 likes as of publication. Several commenters wrote about enjoying the video, and tagged their friends. The video is even inspiring some to give it a try themselves, with one person saying, "I wanna take care of a sourdough baby!"

Part of the satisfaction may come from seeing the bubbles in the sourdough form and watching it nearly double in size over time. However, when other people noticed the bubbles, they weren't so keen on it. As one person joked, "Like my stomach after eating Taco Bell!! Lol." Another person left a comment that said, "That actually makes me nauseous to look at," and another just said, "The holes," followed by several weary and fear-eyed emojis. For anyone that has trypophobia, this video wouldn't be a fun watch, but for others, it can be relaxing.

If you're one of those who loves watching sourdough starters rise as well as eating sourdough bread, it might be time to start thinking about making it at home. Here's one pro tip: Always bake sourdough in the summer because the humidity will help it rise. So now is really the perfect time to prepare your starter so it's ready in a few months.