Highland Rise

17/03/2026

It begins.

Our first Highland Rise video is now live on YouTube.

This is where the journey starts, creating a sourdough starter from scratch using nothing more than flour, water, and time.

No shortcuts. No rush. Just the process, as it should be.

If you’ve ever wanted to start your own sourdough, this is the perfect place to begin.

You can watch the full video here:
https://youtu.be/tSkgYYZYmY8

And if you do give it a try, I’d genuinely love to hear how you get on.

— Highland Rise

09/02/2026

Baking day at Highland Rise 🤍

Saturday was one of those slow, flour-dusted days.
Using what we already had and turning discard into something worth keeping.

• Discard fruit scones
• Chocolate chip cookies
• Simple bread rolls, baked fresh

Discard doesn’t need to be thrown away.
It just needs a little time. And a reason.

Discard fruit scones, baked slow and simple.

Want the recipe? Comment SCONES and I’ll send it over 🤍

Not sure what discard is? Comment DISCARD and I’ll explain it simply.

If you baked over the weekend too, tell me, what was in your oven 🤍

07/02/2026

Your kitchen matters more than your recipe

Same recipe.
Different kitchen.
Different result.

Temperature influences:
• Yeast activity (fermentation speed)
• Gas retention (rise)
• Organic acid development (flavour)

Environment plays a role too.

Aerosolised cleaners and strong chemical sprays can temporarily inhibit wild yeast activity, particularly in enclosed or poorly ventilated kitchens. The effect isn’t permanent, but timing and airflow can matter.

This is one reason two identical doughs can behave differently in different homes.

Have you ever noticed a slower rise or quieter starter after a deep clean or heavy use of sprays?

I’d be interested to hear your experience 👇

27/01/2026

Why Your Starter Smells Sour (and When That’s a Good Thing)

If your sourdough starter smells sharp, tangy, or a bit like vinegar.

Don’t panic.

That scent is part of the process.

👇 Here’s what’s actually happening 👇

Early sour smell
Your starter is producing acids as wild yeast and bacteria establish balance. This is normal, especially in young or hungry starters.

Healthy sour
A clean, yoghurt-like or mildly vinegary smell usually means your starter is active and doing its job.

⚠️ Too sharp or solvent-like? ⚠️
That often means your starter is hungry. It’s running low on food and producing excess acid.

What helps:
• Feed a little more generously - Switch to feeding a 1:4:3 ratio for a few days.
• Keep it warmer (18–22°C is ideal)
• Use it closer to peak, or just under, rather than after collapse.

Sourdough isn’t about perfection. It’s about learning the signals and responding gently.

Your starter is talking. You’re just learning its language.

26/01/2026

This is what happens after the feeding, the waiting, and the care.

Once a starter is fully mature, it can be gently dehydrated - paused in time - and stored until it’s ready to be brought back to life.

What you’re seeing here is my Honey-Infused starter, dried slowly, ground carefully, and prepared for storage.

Nothing added.
Nothing artificial.

Just sourdough, resting. Ready for its next kitchen.

Save this if you’ve ever wondered how dehydrated starter actually works.

26/01/2026

Thankyou for the mention on your YouTube channel Helen. The bread looks really good and I hope you enjoy baking and eating your bread as much as we do.

Join me today as we make a wholemeal sourdough loaf and food prep some protein meals and...

24/01/2026

Do you bake for weekdays…or is bread a weekend ritual for you?

23/01/2026

A quick roundup: Understanding the 1:1:1 feeding ratio

Over the last few days, we’ve looked at the 1:1:1 feeding ratio — and more importantly, the context around it.

So here’s the simple version to save and come back to.

1:1:1 isn’t bad.
It was never the problem.

Most confusion comes from using it at the wrong stage, or expecting one ratio to work the same way in every kitchen.

In a young starter, the culture is still establishing itself. Large feeds or feeding too often can dilute that early progress and slow things down. At this stage, patience and consistency matter more than feeding bigger.

Once a starter begins to rise reliably, reach a clear peak, and smell clean, a 1:1:1 feed becomes a really useful tool. It’s gentle, keeps the culture concentrated, and helps build strength without washing it out.

For established starters, 1:1:1 works beautifully if you bake regularly and keep your starter at room temperature. If you bake less often, higher ratios or feeding and storing in the fridge simply slow fermentation and reduce waste.

None of these approaches are right or wrong.
They’re adjustments.

Temperature, baking frequency, and starter strength all play a role — which is why no single feeding rule works for everyone.

If there’s one thing to take away from this series, it’s this:

👉 Watch the starter, not the ratio.
👉 Strength comes before size.
👉 Feeding is a tool, not a rule.

If this helped bring a bit more clarity, save it for later — and trust that if your starter is rising well and smelling good, you’re already doing a lot right.

Highland Rise

22/01/2026

When 1:1:1 Works (and Why It’s Okay)

So… is 1:1:1 actually okay?

Yes. When it’s used at the right time.

Once a starter begins to rise reliably, a 1:1:1 feed can be very supportive. It’s gentle, keeps the culture concentrated, and helps build strength without washing it out.

Later on, if you bake regularly, 1:1:1 works beautifully. If you bake less often, other feeding approaches simply make life easier by slowing things down and reducing waste.

None of these methods are wrong.
They’re tools - not rules.

Watch your starter. Learn its rhythm. Adjust to suit your kitchen.

That’s when sourdough starts to feel calm instead of confusing.

🌾 Highland Rise

18/01/2026

What’s Happening in a Young Starter??

What’s really happening inside a new starter? In the early days, your starter is still finding its balance.

Different yeasts and bacteria are competing inside that jar. Some are the ones we want. Others are temporary and cause odd smells or weak activity before they fade away.

Think of it like a new neighbourhood.
The right tenants will move in. But they need time to settle.

If feeds are too large or too frequent at this stage, the culture can get diluted before it’s strong enough to grow. That’s why some starters stall. Not because they’re broken, but because they’re being asked to do too much, too soon.

Patience matters here more than precision.

Highland Rise

17/01/2026

Let’s talk about the 1:1:1 feeding ratio

You’ve probably seen the advice:
“Don’t feed your starter 1:1:1 - it makes it too acidic.”

What’s usually missing is the why.

For new bakers, advice like that can feel confusing and discouraging. And the truth is that 1:1:1 isn’t bad. It’s just often explained without context.

Sourdough isn’t about strict rules.
It’s about understanding what your starter actually needs.

Let’s break it down. Slowly.

16/01/2026

Silicone Heat-Resistant Gloves

These silicone gloves have quietly become one of those things I just keep reaching for.

I mainly use them when baking sourdough - lifting lids off hot Dutch ovens, adjusting trays, or moving cookware without panicking about burning myself. They’re thick enough to actually protect your hands (which not all “heat-resistant” gloves do), but still flexible enough that you don’t feel clumsy or disconnected from what you’re holding.

What I like most is that they don’t soak up moisture or smells like fabric oven gloves. If they get floury or sticky, they just wipe clean or rinse under the tap. Simple, practical, no fuss.

They’re not flashy, they’re not gimmicky - just genuinely handy if you bake often or deal with very hot cookware.

As always, I only share things I actually use and find helpful.

👉 I’ve added the link below for anyone who wants to take a look.

Some of the links are Amazon affiliate links. They don’t change the price for you, but they do help support Highland Rise - thank you if you choose to use them.