Few things are more consoling than the smell of fresh bread.

And with Covid-19 anxiety giving us all a run for our money this week, have-a-go bakers are venturing into the kitchen to mix and measure and knead away their worries… for an hour or so at least.

It’s nice to know that, with a few easy-to-find ingredients, you’re not beholden to the supermarket for a loaf. Plus, fresh bread is an excellent way to ingratiate yourself with your self-isolation buddies.

WTF is a starter?

If this is your first time busting out a sourdough recipe, you’ll need a starter (a live, bubbling wild yeast culture that gives the bread its lovely chewy texture and helps it to rise in the oven).

Sounds fancy but it’s really just flour and water – the wild yeast moves in by itself after a few days.

Does anyone in Cork City have a bit of starter for Sourdough that I could have? We’ve been making homemade bread for years not but there’s #NoYeastAnywhere #Cork

— Zahid Aslam, (@z_aslam) March 25, 2020

If you have time (most of us have a lot of that right now), food writer and broadcaster Caroline Hennessy of Bibliocook has a lovely, uncomplicated step-by-step guide to making your own sourdough starter from scratch here. All you need is a strong white bread flour and lots of patience.

Can I cheat and get my starter pre-made?

Sure. If dealing with a bubbling jar of live cultures makes you uneasy or you’re short on time, Cork bakery Bread & Roses is giving away their sourdough starters through Neighbourfood.

They use two two mother cultures; “Calvin and Hobbes, both named after two comic legends, one a bratty, imaginative, wild, unruly kid, the other his best friend, a noble, trustworthy, sensible tiger.”

Order a chocolate babka, a twisted length of sweet dough filled with chocolate and roasted hazelnuts, to eat while you bake.

Ok I understand everyone is freaking out but why are ALL of you baking sourdough.

— Jessica Ellis (@baddestmamajama) March 23, 2020

Arbutus Bread are also generous with their starter – they’re taking pre-orders for their mouthwatering crusty loaves at the moment (contactless payment only, pre-order for collection in Mayfield Business Park with Elaine on 086 3840651) so you can ask for a starter with your order.

At Organico in Bantry, the team gave a sourdough starter and a recipe to customers, then shared pictures of all the lovely being baked by locals across the town.

Even TV chef Nigella Lawson is rowing in to support home bakers:

Quick message to all those making bread at the moment. Keep the water you’ve cooked potatoes or pasta in. It will help the bread’s texture and rise.

— Nigella Lawson (@Nigella_Lawson) March 26, 2020

Having a go at baking? Share pics of your creations with us on Twitter or Instagram @YayCork.