O My Darling Clementein
I know what you’re thinking … “They misspelled ‘Clementine’!” Well, as a matter of fact, the unusual spelling is 100% intentional …
Introducing Clementein, our new einkorn sourdough starter!
Wait, what does that mean?? Perhaps a little explanation is in order …
Some time ago, Sr. Cecilia Maria was searching for some ways to provide our community with healthier baked goods. We had been learning about some of the health problems caused or aggravated by refined sugar and modern wheat, but we weren’t quite ready to give up our bread and cookies!
“The Kingdom of Heaven is like yeast, which a woman took and mixed with three measures of flour ...”
In the course of her research, Sister discovered that the so-called “ancient grains,” such as einkorn and kamut, have significant health benefits (lower phytic acid, a gentler form of gluten, less starch, etc.). These benefits are further augmented by the use of traditional cooking methods, such as soaking, sprouting, and souring. It seemed worth a try!
The sprouted flour sourdough crackers have been a big hit!
With Mother’s blessing and the help of resources from the Traditional Cooking School, Sister purchased some einkorn wheat for our community and began experimenting with sourdough. This traditional method of leavening involves making a “starter,” which is an ecosystem of wild yeasts and beneficial bacteria that help to leaven baked goods. Since starters require regular tending (they need to be fed with flour and water to keep them alive and active), they can become almost like a household pet, and many people like to name their starters: hence, after some pondering about the best “punny” title to confer, ours has been dubbed “Clementein!”
An interesting “side effect” of learning to bake with sourdough has been a new appreciation for the references to yeast and leavening in the Scriptures — after all, for thousands of years this was the normal way to leaven bread. For instance, the book of Exodus speaks about how the Israelites “took their dough before it was leavened, in their kneading bowls wrapped in their cloaks on their shoulders” (Ex 12:34). This makes perfect sense when we recall that they would have had to wait for their dough to “sour” before they could bake it!
Sourdough is surprisingly versatile — in the few weeks since the beginning of our experiment, Sister has made crackers, biscuits, cookies, English muffins, pizza crust, and even a cake! We look forward to the day when Clementein is mature enough to start leavening bread. Check out the slideshow below for a peek at Sister preparing to make sourdough cookies …
