You came to The Bread & Butter Way because you want to make bread. Maybe you have flour in the pantry, a starter in the fridge, or recipes and videos saved for “someday.” But life gets full, the kitchen gets busy, and bread keeps getting pushed back. That is why we are doing "Make Room to Try" next week. From Monday, October 5, 2026 through Friday, October 9, 2026 I will share one small, practical invitation each day, right here inside this free community. This is not a full bread course. It is not a kitchen makeover. It is not five days of baking. You do not need a perfect kitchen, an active starter, special tools, extra money to spend, or a free afternoon. We are simply going to take the pressure off, make a little room for bread in real life, and take one small step at a time. Over the five days, you will make a little space for bread, gather what you already have, choose one clear path, and decide on a realistic next bread step. Because I am a firm believer that bread should fit your life, not take it over. If you are planning to join us, comment “I’m in” below as your little promise to yourself to come back here each day next week for one small bread step. I’ll be here cheering you on. Be sure to turn on your community notifications so you do not miss the daily invitation. Day 1 begins Monday, October 5. I’m so glad you are here. Sandra

Let’s talk about the question that comes up every summer: “Did I leave my dough in the fridge too long?” In a warm-weather rhythm, the fridge isn’t just a backup plan — it’s part of the method. For many home kitchens, a long, cold proof can: - Give you better flavor without racing through bulk - Make stickier summer dough easier to handle and score - Let you flex your bake time around real life, not the other way around The longer fermentation is where we start to see some of the maximum gut health benefits. Sweet spot...3 days up to 5 days. Then there is that week that you forgot that you had dough in the fridge, and the only time you remember is when you open your fridge, but you just close the fridge...pretty soon 5-6 days have gone by and you wonder if you can still bake it...the answer is YES! Just like a starter becomes more watery when it has not been fed, eventually our dough will do the same thing. If you notice that your dough is really high hydration on that day 5 or after, (meaning, when you try to shape it it just puddles, you can easily turn it into focaccia by putting it in a 9x13 baking dish smothered with olive oil. Then add more olive oil, spices/salt, dimple it and let it rest...bake it up). It may not haven been what you wanted, but you can go with the flow and use up that dough anyway! Happy Baking!