Sour Dough Bread Starter
Note: This is not real sourdough bread starter, but it could turn into the real thing if you’re lucky. “Real” Sourdough bread starter contains lactobacilli bacteria which produces lactic acid and gives the bread its distinctive sour flavor. The bacteria is floating around in the air pretty much everywhere, and will infect your starter sooner or later at which point you will have “real” sourdough bread starter. Once your starter is cultured with lactobacilli, the lactic acid that it produces will help to prevent any bad bacteria from establishing itself. In any event, if your sourdough bread starter develops a putrid smell at any point, don’t take any chances, throw it out. You can get a genuine sourdough bread starter for free (by sending a self addressed stamped envelope) from CarlsFriends.org
Back to the Recipe for Sourdough Starter
Never use a metal spoon or store the starter in a metal bowl! Mix and let stand at room temperature 8 to 12 hours in a covered container. Refrigerate. Give it a stir with a wooden spoon, everyday (or when you think of it).
Use the starter, or feed it every five days or so. Always leave at least a cup of starter to start the next batch.
When it’s time to feed the starter, use the above ingredients, but leave out the yeast. To share your starter with a friend, give them at least one cup of the starter and the recipe for feeding it and making the bread. (It makes a fun wedding or housewarming gift to put a loaf of the bread into a new loaf dish, and include the recipe and a cup of the starter with it.)
Note: “Real” Sourdough bread starter contains lactobacilli bacteria which produces lactic acid and gives the bread its distinctive sour flavor. The bacteria is floating around in the air pretty much everywhere, and will infect your starter sooner or later at which point you will have “real” sourdough bread starter. Once your starter is cultured with lactobacilli, the lactic acid that it produces will help to prevent any bad bacteria from establishing itself. In any event, if your sourdough bread starter develops a putrid smell at any point, don’t take any chances, throw it out.
Jones :: Aug.14.2007 :: Bread ::
