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My Start with Rustic Artisan Bread

In early June 2023, I started to make and bake my own 75% whole-wheat sourdough bread − that is, I baked two boules. To my surprise, the 'experiment' went pretty…

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June 14, 2023

STARTER
The initial mix of flour and water when starting from scratch. This mixture is developed for several days or weeks until yeast and bacteria colonies fully develop. Once mature with a consistent microbial activity level, this starter phase is also called by what it has come to contain: cultures. However, many folks keep calling the batch a starter throughout the baking process because the now-contained cultures will start fermentation when mixed into the main dough.
CULTURE
A batch of a flour/water mixture now also contains mature yeast and bacteria colonies or cultures. The now-existent cultures of beneficial microbes are routinely and indefinitely 'refreshed,' distinctly from how a new starter is developed. A sizable amount of the starter/culture batch is eventually separated to be expended as what is then called levain.
LEVAIN
A one-time offshoot batch of a mature starter or culture containing lively yeast and bacteria colonies. This offshoot is expended by being mixed into the main bread dough as a leavening and flavoring agent. In other words, a batch of levain ceases to exist once it's mixed in with the main dough.
Main Dough
The intermediate mixture of flour and water into which salt and levain are eventually added to make the final dough.
Final Dough
The final mixture of flour, water, salt, and levain. The final dough is to be bulk fermented, shaped, proofed, and baked.