Cold kitchen survival guide

It's 56°F in my kitchen at 6am right now.

The starter, which peaks at 6 hours in June, is taking 11. Bulk ferment is 9 hours when the recipe says 5. Loaves that used to bake in 40 minutes are taking 47.

This is normal. Yeast slows down dramatically below 65°F. Here's the cold-kitchen toolkit:

For the starter:
- Find the warmest spot in the kitchen. Top of the refrigerator. On top of the dishwasher mid-cycle. A folded oven mitt on a cookie sheet on the radiator.
- A reliable trick: oven off with the light on. Most ovens hold 75–80°F that way. Perfect for proofing.

For the bulk ferment:
- Trust the dough, not the clock. The recipe says 5 hours? Plan for 9 and check at 7. Look for 50% volume increase and a jiggle when you nudge the bowl.
- Or start the dough at 4pm so it can ferment overnight at 60°F. Long, slow ferments at cold temps produce some of the best flavor of the year.

For the bake:
- Preheat 15 minutes longer than usual. A cold kitchen means a cold dutch oven means an under-spring loaf.

Winter is a great time to bake if you let it be slow. Don't fight the temperature. Bake to its rhythm.

— Sarah