The Cold Proof with Moe Petru

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The Cold Proof with Moe Petru Sourdough science 🧬 for kitchens 68°F & colder ❄️. Alaskan wild yeast 🏔️. No proofing boxes needed. Most sourdough advice assumes you live in a warm environment.

If your kitchen is 65°F, you’re usually told you’re out of luck unless you warm up your starter and your dough. I’m Moe Petru, and I founded The Cold Proof to solve the "Ambient Reality" of baking. My journey didn't start in a warm bakery; it started on the trails of the Chugach Mountains, looking for a better way to work with the cold. 🥾🏔️

Stop chasing the "warm spot." I teach you how to bake without artificial warmth. That means no expensive proofing boxes (specialized heated cabinets), no seedling mats, and no inconsistent oven-light hacks. I’ve proven that world-class bread doesn’t need heat—it needs a resilient, cold-tolerant microbiome. ❄️

The Story of Malley: My primary starter, Malley, is a true Alaskan local. She was forged in the Chugach Mountain Range, where spring water meets the wild crowberry 🫐 on the ridges of Little O'Malley and the Glen Alps. She doesn't just survive in the cold; she was born for it. The Lab Mission: I lead with science to help you master Ambient Fermentation. From DNA sequencing our cultures 🧬 to understanding how wild yeast adapts to sub-68°F environments, I’m building a community for the cold climate bakers. Whether your kitchen is 50°F or 68°F, you can bake with confidence. No shortcuts. Just proven microbiology and the spirit of the Chugach. Welcome to the Lab.

30/01/2026

Yep! It's two days until the 2026 Alaska Farm & Garden Show where I will be a presenter once again!

My first seminar is Tundra to Table, the Art and History of Sourdough - it will cover the History of Sourdough, moves into the science of it all, and finishes going over tools and essentials in sourdough.

And ... attending the first seminar unlocks the chance to attend a second, smaller and intimate class (capped at 30) all on Starters - how to get and keep your Starter healthy!

There are many fantastic seminars all throughout Saturday and Sunday, along with vendor booths to visit - so kick off your Farm & Garden Show with my seminar and make a day or a weekend of it!

When: Saturday, January 31st at 10:00 am (and again at 1:00 pm for the smaller class)
Where: Alaska State Fairgounds
Cost: Only $10 a ticket, and my seminar is FREE!

Moe Tip (kinda like a pro tip only better): get there shortly before 9:30 when parking opens so you can get your tickets (they sell them at the time of parking) and get yourself inside for the start of the Sourdough Seminar!





29/01/2026

Preparations are underway for the Alaska 2026 Farm & Garden Show, which is just days away, where I will be a presenter!

If you're in Alaska, I would love to see you at the seminar at the Alaska State Fairgrounds!

The seminar is at 10:00 am, Saturday, January 31st
Tickets to the Farm & Garden Show are just $10
My seminar is FREE!

I hope to see you there!
~Moe
The Cold Proof





28/01/2026

☺☺💓☺☺☺





27/01/2026

Day 7 of 30 Days, 30 Sourdough Terms 🍞

Today we’re talking about hydration, specifically starter hydration — one of those sourdough concepts that often takes hearing more than once before it really clicks.

When a sourdough recipe simply says “starter”, there’s usually an assumption being made:
👉 that you’re using a 100% hydration starter.

So what does that mean?

A 100% hydration starter is made with equal parts flour and water by weight.

If you’ve been feeding your starter equal amounts of flour and water, your starter is already at 100% hydration.

Feed ratios like:
• 1:1:1
• 1:2:2
• 1:5:5
• 12:18:18

They all maintain 100% hydration — because they are all equal parts flour and water.

That’s the key idea:
👉 hydration is about the balance between flour and water, not the size of the feeding.

In part two tomorrow, we’ll talk about dough hydration.

I’m Moe with The Cold Proof.





26/01/2026

Who am I?

I’m Moe, the baker behind The Cold Proof.

I live in Alaska — and while you may not, you might live somewhere cold enough that sourdough advice often feels… off.

Cold kitchens.
Slow fermentation.
Starters that don’t behave the way recipes promise.

This channel exists to help you:
• Build a strong, viable sourdough starter
• Understand fermentation in cooler environments
• Bake consistently — even when warmth isn’t a given

And all WITHOUT artificially warming anything! No ovenlights, no proofing boxes, no heating mats.

If sourdough advice hasn’t quite fit your climate, you’re in the right place.

Welcome to The Cold Proof.







24/01/2026

Day 5 of 30 Days, 30 Sourdough Terms 🍞

Today’s terms: Autolyse and Fermentolyse — two words that sound intimidating but are actually simple once you see them in action.

Autolyse is an early rest where you mix only flour and water, then let the dough sit before adding salt or starter. This step helps:
• Jumpstart gluten development
• Improve dough extensibility
• Make high-hydration or whole grain doughs easier to handle

Fermentolyse is similar, but with one key difference — you add the starter during the rest, allowing fermentation to begin right away.

Both methods use an early rest to:
•Improve dough structure
•Reduce mixing and kneading
•Support better texture and handling

Neither is required — they’re tools you can use when a recipe or dough benefits from them.

I’m Moe with The Cold Proof.
See you tomorrow for Day 6.





23/01/2026

Bulk fermentation is the first rise of your dough, happening after mixing and before shaping.

During this stage, your dough ferments as one large mass. This is when yeast and bacteria give rise and flavor to your bread, and gluten builds, giving your dough strength.

As bulk progresses, you’ll notice visible changes:
– The dough rises
– The surface smooths out
– Bubbles form
– The dough feels lighter and airier
This stage sets the foundation for everything that follows.

I’m Moe with The Cold Proof.
See you tomorrow for Day 5.





22/01/2026

Day 3 of our 30-day Sourdough Glossary: Levain

Levain is often used interchangeably with “starter,” but they are not the same thing.

A starter is something you feed, maintain, and keep going indefinitely.

A levain is built for a single recipe and used once. You don’t feed it or maintain it over time.

Many recipes use a levain because they want you to adjust it — perhaps by adding honey, using different flours, or changing hydration — without altering your main starter.

Understanding the difference helps you follow recipes accurately and avoid unnecessary changes to your starter.

One essential sourdough term each day.
Day 4 coming tomorrow.





21/01/2026

Discard is the portion of starter you remove before feeding. You may occasionally see it called “inactive or unfed starter,” but discard is the most common term you’ll encounter in recipes.

Some bakers choose not to keep Discard. Others save it and use it in recipes like waffles, crackers, and other discard-based bakes.

Two important things to know:
• Never pour Discard down the sink — it can clog pipes
• Discard should always be stored in the refrigerator, with a loosely fitted lid

One essential sourdough term each day.
Day 3 coming tomorrow.





20/01/2026

30 days. 30 sourdough terms.

If you’re learning sourdough, you’ll quickly notice that the same thing is often called by many different names.

Today’s term is Starter — the foundation of all sourdough baking.

A starter isn’t just “yeast.” It’s a living culture that forms over days of feeding, as the strongest and most compatible microbes establish balance and stability.

Without starter, there is no sourdough.

I’ll be breaking down one essential term each day so you can understand the terminology of sourdough - think of this as your Sourdough Glossary.

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