Sourdough making class
Updated: Sep 21
Class Instructor: Bec Bremner
I’d been talking about my new passion for learning to cook from scratch, so for my birthday, my sister Lorraine bought me a gift voucher for a sourdough class at Ottimo Bakery with Bec Bremner. It was a wonderful experience, but it also brought a rather unexpected awakening about the way I learn—and helped me understand why I’d been putting off bread baking for so long.
Bec spent many years in the industry before opening Ottimo Bakery, and she’s loved within her community with good reason. The care she puts into her bread extends to the people around her, and it’s easy to see why she’s earned so much affection and respect.
During the class, Bec taught me the importance of good-quality flour and ingredients. She guided me through each stage of making and preparing the dough, including how to weigh the ingredients accurately using scales.
Watching her work, I could see how meticulous she is, a perfectionist by nature, with such care and attention to every detail. Having tasted her sourdough, I could appreciate why. Her bread is astoundingly delicious, and that care comes through in every bite.
What did I learn about myself? That I’m the furthest thing from a perfectionist.
I don’t enjoy using kitchen scales, and while I appreciate the science behind baking sourdough, getting caught up in it takes the enjoyment out of cooking for me. When instructions become too technical, I’m easily distracted and lose my way.
I’m a lot like my mother in that sense. I love to cook by feel, following my instincts and how I’m feeling in the moment. Without that freedom, being in the kitchen can start to feel like a chore rather than an experience I enjoy.
So I came home with a detailed document from the best bread baker I’d ever met—and put it aside. Not out of disrespect for Bec or her knowledge, but because I knew how my ADHD would respond to all those detailed instructions. I needed to find a way to use what she’d taught me without overwhelming myself.
I looked into different methods online, taking a little from here and there to put together an approach that suited me. Simple directions, Australian measuring cups and spoons, and short, numbered steps helped me get into the kitchen and begin.
But it was Bec’s class that gave me the confidence to do that. Seeing the process, handling the dough and learning from her gave me a foundation I wouldn’t have had otherwise. I also brought home the starter I’ve affectionately named Dough Diggity, and I'm now ready to continue learning in my own kitchen.
In the end, I told myself, “It’s just bread.” If it doesn’t turn out, I’ll take notes and try again, and again, until I get it right..... my way.
Check out my recipe version: Sourdough Bread
Happy Baking,
L-ikla t-tajba!
(Maltese for, enjoy your meal)
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