Sourdough for the anxious beginner

Everyone makes sourdough sound like raising a third child. It's not. Your starter is flour and water that wants to live. Here's the anxious-beginner version.

You need almost nothing

A jar. Flour. Water. That's it. Skip the $40 banneton for now.

The actual steps

1. Mix equal parts flour and water in a jar. Loose lid.
2. Leave it on the counter.
3. Feed it once a day-ish.
4. Around day 5 to 7 it gets bubbly and smells tangy. That's life.

If you forget a day, it's fine. If a little gray liquid forms on top, pour it off — that's just hooch, not death.

When Preston tells you to name it

You don't have to name your starter. But you will. Mine is not named Brad — that's Preston's bit. Mine is named Gerald, because we are professionals in this house.

— Nadia