David Anthes Uses Sourdough Baking to Build Routine, Focus, and Self-Reliance

Bend, Oregon, 28th January 2026, ZEX PR WIRE, David Anthes has developed a reputation for structure. In both professional settings and personal routines, he's known for calm planning, clear thinking, and consistent follow-through. That same mindset defines his approach to sourdough baking-a private practice he's quietly refined over time.

What began as an interest in fermentation turned into a weekly habit rooted in rhythm, observation, and adjustment. For David Anthes, sourdough baking is not about content, performance, or perfection. It's a system. A form of self-reliance. A way to build skill through steady work.

He's baked dozens of loaves under different conditions: hot summers, cold kitchens, busy weeks, and late starts. Each time, he adapts. He tracks his variables. He pays attention to what changes and why. Over time, his method has become reliable-even under unpredictable conditions.

A Structured Approach to Bread

David maintains a straightforward routine. His starter is stable, lean, and refreshed regularly. He bakes on weekends. His prep begins the day before, allowing for bulk fermentation, shaping, and a cold proof overnight. This schedule fits into his week without disruption.

Every bake is tracked. He notes flour ratios, hydration levels, temperature, timing, and final results. He's not chasing novelty or aesthetic crusts. He's building understanding-how dough responds, how conditions matter, how to adjust without guessing.

"Sourdough teaches you to notice small things," he says. "It's responsive. You can't rush it, but you can learn to work with it."

His current method relies on high-hydration doughs, moderate ambient fermentation, and gentle shaping. He avoids over-handling and lets structure form gradually. His scoring is minimal. His goals are internal consistency and dependable rise.

From Curiosity to Competence

David began baking sourdough with no formal training. Like many others, he started with a few tutorials, a basic starter, and mixed results. What set his path apart was his patience and documentation. When something failed, he didn't toss it out. He reviewed the variables.

Early on, he kept paper notes. Then he built a spreadsheet. Today, he has a log of over 100 bakes-each one labeled, tracked, and reviewed. This log helps him stay consistent across seasons. It also shows patterns others often miss: when to feed, how flour absorbs differently, how temperature shifts final volume.

He doesn't treat this as science. He treats it as responsibility. If he wants good bread, he has to understand what he's doing-and what changed since last time.

"Most people blame themselves or the recipe. But the recipe isn't broken. You just need more feedback loops," he says.

Sharing, Quietly

Though David doesn't market his baking, people close to him know him for it. He shares loaves with coworkers, neighbors, and friends. Occasionally, someone asks for help reviving a struggling starter or fixing a dense loaf. His advice is methodical and calm.

He walks them through conditions first: flour type, fermentation time, shaping tension. Then process: temperature, proofing, baking vessel. His feedback is specific. And it usually helps.

One friend refers to him as "the most unpretentious sourdough guy I've ever met."

David has no interest in turning his practice into a business or platform. He's not selling workshops or publishing a book. For him, baking is useful. It's reliable. It's part of how he stays focused in a world that rarely slows down.

Systems That Scale

What makes his baking process unique is how it mirrors his larger values. David believes most things work better when they're built to be repeated. He applies that mindset to projects, communication, and problem-solving in all areas of life.

With sourdough, the result is tangible. Each week, he produces a physical outcome that reflects his effort and attention. If something shifts-flour moisture, fermentation speed-he adapts. If the loaf comes out perfect, he notes the setup and uses it again.

"Good systems don't eliminate variation. They give you a way to work with it," he says.

He's also refined how he fits baking into daily life. By splitting prep across two days and front-loading steps, he avoids disruption. The process is clean. Quiet. Built into his schedule, not crammed into it.

Why It Matters
For David Anthes, sourdough is more than a hobby. It's a working example of his approach to nearly everything: start small, track your progress, repeat what works, improve what doesn't.

He doesn't romanticize the process. He doesn't frame mistakes as creativity. He treats bread like he treats any other outcome-something that improves with practice, structure, and honest feedback.

His process invites no shortcuts. But it also asks for no perfection.

"I'm not trying to impress anyone," he says. "I'm trying to understand what I'm doing well enough that I don't have to think about it too hard. That's the payoff-when you can trust your hands."

This release was published on openPR.