Sourdough Day 2: No Feed Today — And We Need a Name!

Sourdough Day 2 is here and our little starter is already doing something interesting — we are skipping the feed today! My expert source, Hannah Briggs on YouTube, walks through the sourdough process day by day and she said that on Day 2 we stir and skip the feed entirely. No discard, no flour, no water. The reason? Skipping the feed helps lower the pH and creates a good acid environment for wild yeast to develop. Science! Also — I just found out that sourdough starters are supposed to have a name, and we have a big decision to make.

According to Hannah Briggs, on Day 2 there should be some irregular bubbles at the bottom of the jar — and sure enough, we have several bubbles of irregular shape and size right where they are supposed to be. The starter is also a little gummier and gooeier today than it was on Day 1, which is exactly right. It stirred up nicely and still smells like wheat and flour right now, though I am told the smell is going to get a lot more interesting as the days go on.

The only thing on the agenda for Day 2 is a good stir. That is it. No discard, no feeding, just stir and wait. Sometimes doing less is exactly the right move.

Now for the really important business — naming our starter. I found out it is absolutely a thing, and I have been going back and forth. My grandma was one of seven daughters — Mabel, Hazel, Leona, Lueda, Norma, Margie, and Matilda — and I thought it might be sweet to name the starter after one of my great aunts. But then someone left a comment about my willy nilly way of doing things, and suggested the name Willynilly — and honestly? That might be brilliant.

So I am putting it to a vote. Should our starter be Mabel? Or should it be Willynilly? Drop your vote in the comments and I will announce the name on Day 3. See you tomorrow!

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Sourdough Day 2 — About the Sourdough Journey

The Sourdough Journey is Stephanie’s series documenting her very first attempt at making sourdough bread from scratch — something she had never done before. She started this journey to make fresh homemade bread for her husband Jason, who is on a Mediterranean diet. Along the way her community helped name her whole wheat starter “Willynilly” — and together they cheered him on toward his first bake. What started as one starter became two, then took a dramatic turn — and now a whole new chapter of baking is underway. Start here at Day 1 and follow the whole story at stephaniecooksforacrowd.com!