I put a whole orange in my sourdough starter and my kitchen smelled like a brewery

I saw a video from a baker in Seattle who swore that adding a whole, unpeeled organic orange to your starter gave it a complex flavor. So I shoved one into my week old starter, fed it like normal, and left it overnight. Woke up to a bubbling mess that smelled like strong beer and the orange skin had turned a weird gray color. I baked a loaf anyway and it tasted like someone mixed cheap wine with my good bread. Learned that some tips are just plain weird, not clever. Has anyone else tried a fruit addition that actually worked without ruining everything?

3 comments

3 Comments

skyler_mitchell1mo ago

Oh wow, that sounds rough. I've had good luck with a handful of raisins instead, they add a little sweetness without the chaos.

angelac6326d agoMost Upvoted

Well aren't you the thoughtful one, I just threw a handful in and hoped for the best.

alice2421mo agoTop Commenter

Tried that once, made a huge mess.