Hi, I’m Madara — a sourdough-loving baker living in Jersey, Channel Islands, originally from Latvia.
Baking — and especially sourdough — became part of my life not through the desire to bake bread, but through the challenge of creating a sourdough starter. I kept seeing people struggle with it online, and I wanted to try it for myself. What began as curiosity quickly grew into something deeper. Sourdough became my quiet therapy, especially during some of life’s more difficult moments. It gave me a sense of control, creativity, and calm — and, maybe unexpectedly, it brought me joy again.
At first, I didn’t think anyone would care to watch me bake bread. But with a little encouragement from my ex-partner, I began sharing bits of my journey on Instagram — and I’ve been humbled by the kindness and support ever since.
Today, I bake around my life — not the other way around. I know my starter so well now that I can feed it to fit my schedule, not stress over it. I bake when I want to, not when I have to. That’s the beauty of sourdough: it teaches you to slow down and find a rhythm that works for you.
I haven’t bought a loaf of bread since February. But sourdough has become more than just bread. It’s discard granola bars, sourdough gnocchi, pasta, crackers, sweet treats. It’s creative. It’s grounding. It’s mine.
This blog is a space to share that journey — the beautiful loaves and the flat ones. I hope that by being honest about my mistakes and what I learn along the way, I can help others feel brave enough to start. I want this space to feel like a warm kitchen table — where we learn, laugh, and bake together.
So if you’re wondering whether sourdough is worth trying, I’ll say only this:
Just start.
Madara
