My preferred way of using my starter is to take it from the fridge, let it come up to room temperature, feed it flour and water, then leave it to become bubbly and active. That is when I like to use it.

My preference is to use round rather than square containers that hold around 600 milliliters 2½ cups).

If using a cold start, place the covered pan of dough in the oven, set the temperature to 425°F (220°C) convection or 450°F (230°C) conventional, and set a timer for 55 minutes. In both cases, keep the lid on for the full time.

Rice flour: This is the ideal flour for preparing bannetons to ensure that your dough doesn’t stick to them and comes out clean. Rice flour is gluten-free and nonporous, so it does not become sticky like wheat-based flour. You can use white or brown rice flour. If you cannot find rice flour, you can grind uncooked rice to make your own, or use

Temperatures In hot temperatures,

When you want to make your dough, remove your base starter from the fridge and feed it with the amount of flour and water necessary to generate the amount of starter you will need for the recipe. For example, if the recipe calls for 50 grams (¼ cup) of starter, I feed my base amount of starter with 30 grams (¼ cup) of flour and 30 grams (⅛ cup) of

Room thermometer: Being able to monitor the temperature in your kitchen is a vital step toward sourdough success. I highly recommend having a digital thermometer in your kitchen for just this purpose.

How many pulls and folds are needed for each set? There is no fixed answer to this. The first set will need more than the rest—I aim for 20 to 25—then after that, a lot less are required. The dough will tell you itself once you have done enough, as it will come into a tight ball and you will struggle to do any more. That is when you can stop until

Lift and place the dough, smooth side down, in the prepared banneton. Sprinkle extra rice flour down the sides and across the top of the dough, cover it with the same shower cap and place it in the fridge for at least 3 hours, maximum 24 hours.