In the Dutton area of Gloucester County is Kneadful Things at Heritage Homestead, the home of Shaun and Aaron Rosenblum and their six children (three boys and three girls). It is a true homestead where you find that the kitchen has become the sourdough bakery.

The Rosenblums moved to Gloucester 17 years ago, and the first additions to their homestead were chickens and goats. They still have chickens, and they have added ducks, two ponies, and four dogs.

A native of New York, Shaun met Aaron when she was stationed at Fort Lee in Virginia, and he was stationed at Fort Eustis. Skydiving was their hobby, but Shaun says she decided no more for her after the children came along, “but my husband continues. He is still on active duty at Fort Eustis and may be retiring soon.”

Shaun says she learned to cook when the children came. She left home before learning from her mother. “It’s been a trial and error, learning as I went along. But working with sourdough came about from watching a Great British Baking Show which my daughter had discovered. My interest grew, so I got videos, books and other materials to learn all about working with sourdough. It was again trial and error, learning and experimenting. I began making bread for family and friends. Then I thought maybe other people may like my bread so decided to let it be known. It took a great deal of time to get my credentials. I wanted to make sure everything was legal. Last fall was when I started taking orders. I bake on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.”

Beside bread Shaun offers other sourdough goodies such as muffins, all in different flavors.

One would think that running a baking business, canning and preserving and attending to the homestead would be a full day for one person, but not for Shaun. She daily homeschools five children; the oldest is away at school.

The Heritage Homestead can be reached on Facebook or on its website. Place your order either by text or phone. You will be delighted with the results.

BASIC SOURDOUGH BREAD

500g bread flour
325g filtered water*
120g active sourdough starter
10g sea salt

Mix 325g filtered water and 120g active starter.  Add 500g bread flour and 10g sea salt.  Mix well, 3-4 minutes with a dough whisk or by hand.  Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Do 2-4 rounds of stretch and folds 30 minutes apart. Cover the dough and let it ferment on the counter for 8-12 hours.  It should be about double in size, have small bubbles on the surface, and pull away from the bowl cleanly at the edges. Dump dough onto a lightly floured surface or a silicone mat and shape into a ball by gently pushing, pulling, and tucking to create surface tension.

Flip the dough round into a floured banneton. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 3 days.

Preheat oven to 450°F. Flip the dough from the banneton onto parchment paper. Score and place in a Dutch oven. Bake covered for 35 minutes, then 5-10 minutes uncovered until golden brown. The dough’s internal temperature should be 205°F. Let the bread cool before slicing. 

*Filtered water is not tap water or distilled water. Don’t ruin your bread.

SOURDOUGH DISCARD PANCAKES

190g all-purpose flour (1½ c.)
24g sugar (2 Tbs.)
3g sea salt (½ tsp.)
8g baking powder (2 tsp.)
5g baking soda (1 tsp.)
240g sourdough starter (active or discard) (1 c.)
2 large eggs
255g milk (1 c.)
42g melted butter (3 Tbs.)

In a large bowl, whisk dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients and mix until a smooth batter forms. Some lumps are okay. Melt a small pat of butter over medium-low heat in a skillet. Ladle the desired amount of batter into the skillet and cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip and cook for an additional minute or two. Repeat until you finish the batter.

EASY SOURDOUGH GRANOLA

50g sourdough discard**
25g maple syrup or honey
25g melted coconut oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
100g rolled oats
100g nuts and/or seeds
Sprinkle of cinnamon
Pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 325°F. Mix all ingredients. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and spread the mixture in a thin layer (about ¼” thick). Bake 15-25 minutes or until it begins to brown. Let cool completely, then break into pieces. Add chocolate chips or other desired add-ins and store in an airtight container.

**Also, discard is the unfed, inactive portion of your sourdough starter that has completed its fermentation cycle.