Unpopular opinion: stop proofing your dough on the counter with a towel, use the microwave with a mug of hot water
I bake sourdough every Sunday here in Reno and for 2 years my bulk ferment was all over the place, sometimes 4 hours, sometimes 9, until my neighbor who runs a little bakery told me it was my kitchen temp swinging all day. Now I nuke a mug of water for 2 minutes, shove the bowl in the microwave with it, and my dough hits the same rise in about 5 hours no matter the season. Anyone else doing this, or do you have a better trick for keeping an even proof?
Sure the microwave trick works but is a 4 hour swing really that big a deal? I've baked in a cold kitchen and a warm one and the bread still comes out fine, just takes longer and I plan for it. Feels like people chase perfect proof times when the dough will tell you when it's ready if you just watch it.