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[Neko-chan]

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[Neko-chan]

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[Marianne]

I'm going to bake some sourdough bread tomorrow, too!! Gettin' excited here.....

 

[Boogity]

Neko-chan, thanks for the instructions in your original post. It, and Marianne, gave me the umpf that I needed to try to make a starter.

I started my starter last Saturday with 1C of all purpose flour and 1C filtered water. I keep it on top of our water heater where it stays about 80F all the time. But then I forgot it until I accidentally discovered it on Tuesday. It was a little foamy and puffed up but it smelled wonderful. Just like I would expect it to smell. So I pitched about half of it and fed it 1/2C of flour and 1/2C water each day since Tuesday. 4 feedings at +/- 24 hr. intervals. Now I have some questions . . .

It seems kind of thin (watery), about the consistency of yogurt. Is it OK to add slightly more flour when I feed it next time?

How long do I keep feeding it daily? When can I start keeping it in the frige?

What is the 10 day cycle that I have seen mentioned here?

I'm getting excited to try it.

 

[Marianne]

I just put one of my starters in the frig yesterday, so what's that, about a week or less? From what I read, the longer you let it set out at room temp, the more sour it will be. Yes, you have to keep feeding it while it's out on the counter, and once a week in the frig. I added a bit more flour to the starter, and then you adjust the amount of flour that you use in baking/cooking with it.

I was sort of disappointed in the loaf I made yesterday. (pardon my whining). I used the recipe from that first post and thought it was too salty and didn't have enough flavor. So I'll wait a bit longer and next time I'll use just one tsp. salt. The crust is amazing!! My loaf is pretty dense, too.

I decided to put one in the frig for trying with pancakes, etc., and leave the other one out a few more days, then try another loaf of bread.

That 10 day cycle I was talking about was the Amish Friendship bread. That stays out on your countertop for 10 days, then you bake something from the starter, feed it and start another 10 day cycle.

 

[miss_thenorth]

Just my esperience, but when I put mine in the fridge before when it was young, it did not survive. Now I always keep it on the counter, but then again, I bake every other day pretty much.

 

[Marianne]

Ahaaa, good to know! Thanks!

 

[Neko-chan]

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[Marianne]

Okay, I'll remember that, thanks.

I pulled the one starter out of the frig after reading what miss north said. So back to having three on the counter again...and high hopes!!

 

[Neko-chan]

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