As someone here (no names but think large head covering) once advised me, go deep before you go wide. Find a white bread recipe and make it over and over again. You will learn to bake bread by feel rather than strict recipe adherence. I d mean feel. Your hands are the most important bread baking tool on the planet. Once you have mastered the white bread, you will have learned more about bread dough than you thought possible.
Sourdough should be Phase 2. There are so many new twists, vs. yeasted bread, that you will be better served by bringing your white bread knowledge to the table.
As to flour, yeast type etc, You can buy bread flour in most supermarkets. You should also be able to find RapidRisr, QuickRise or other forms of Instant Yeast. I prefer Instant yeast over Active Dry yeast cuz it can be mixed in with the drys and does not knead to be proofed. That is purely personal preference.
I would also suggest getting your hands on a good bread book. Peter Reinhart is A) A master bread baker & B) A teacher by profession. I started with his Crust & Crumb. He has since published The Bread Bakers Apprentice. Either will serve you well:)
At weddings, my Aunts would poke me in the ribs and cackle "You're next!". They stopped when I started doing the same to them at funerals.www.kyleskitchen.net
