The Story

My baking yeast expired at the end of last month. I bake bread often and use my 22 year old sourdough starter along with the yeast. I was on the fence about whether to order new yeast. It comes in two one-pound blocks so I contacted another bread baking friend to give away one pound. He graciously accepted.

Then I read an article that said the old yeast is still good for 2 years but might be sluggish so I fished the old unopened one pound block out of the trash barrel which had already been wheeled to the street.

Now I have two blocks of yeast and I wonder which one to use. The new one or the old one. I feel like an idiot. I have tied myself into a knot of shame and frugality. And I knew I would. It's receive-mode, the introverted, self-doubt time of year.

Do I open and test the old yeast and see how alive it is or open the new one which expires in February? It doesn't really matter and yet in my mind it's a no-win situation. There's nothing left to do but laugh at myself.