A notebook for bread

For months my loaves were random: one good, two flat, one gummy. What finally helped was not a new recipe but a plain notebook.

Every bake gets one line: flour, hydration, room temperature, hours of proof, result. After twenty lines the pattern was obvious. The kitchen in summer is warmer than I thought, and the dough was simply overproofed.

Now the notebook says 72% hydration, a shorter bulk in August, and a longer cold rest overnight. The loaves are boring in the best way.