Hey there, just wanted to circle back on the team offsite agenda. I think we should shift the brainstorming session to the morning when everyone is fresh, and maybe move the group hike to the late afternoon. Also, I chatted with the catering company and they confirmed they can accommodate the vegan and gluten-free requests without any issue. The main lodge has reliable Wi-Fi now, so remote attendees can dial in smoothly. Let me know if you have strong feelings about the campfire s'mores station setup. I was thinking we could have a variety of chocolates and maybe some flavored marshmallows. My neighbor recommended a local baker who makes incredible graham crackers, too. We should finalize the shuttle schedule from the train station by Wednesday so we can distribute it. Oh, and I found a great playlist for the background music during meals that isn't too distracting. I'll share the link after I clean up the order a bit. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

So I was experimenting with a new sourdough starter the other day, and I think I finally nailed the hydration level. Instead of the usual 100%, I dropped it to about 85%, and the dough felt so much more manageable during the stretch and folds. It held its shape beautifully and the crumb had those gorgeous irregular holes. I fed it some rye flour in the morning and by afternoon it was bubbling like crazy. For the actual bake, I tried a Dutch oven preheated at 500 degrees and then dropped it to 450 after putting the loaf in. The crust was this deep mahogany color with a crackle that lasted for minutes. I let it cool on a wire rack for at least two hours before slicing, which is always the hardest part. Served it with some cultured butter and flaky salt and it was honestly the best loaf I've made this season. My next experiment is adding some toasted sesame seeds into the mix.