Title: Keeping The Starter Going
Categories: Breads, Sourdough, Hints, Information
Yield: 1 Batch
Flour
Milk
Every time you use your starter, replenish it with equal parts of
homogenized milk and flour, keeping the mixture a little thicker than
cake batter. If it gets too thin, add a little more flour. Let it
stand overnight or until it bubbles up; then use it again or
refrigerate it.
If you hav let it go for two to three weeks between usings, don't
throw it away! It might have separated with a watery, strong-smelling
layer on top. Just pour it off (the "sourdoughs" used to drink that
liquid!). Add equal amounts of homogenized milk and flour, let it
stand overnight until bubbly and it will be ready to use again.
The starter can be frozen up to two months. To thaw, let it come to
room temperature gradually; then mix in small, equal amounts of milk
and flour. Let stand overnight at room temperature; then use as
always.
Temperature of the kitchen has a lot to do with how quickly a
sourdough batter will rise. Always place the mixture in the warmest
spot available. Pilot lights, radiators, ovens and such intense
sources of heat are potentially harmful as they can get too hot and
kill the yeast. A sunny window, a high shelf, a particularly warm
corner would be a more ideal spot for your sourdough mixture. It
rises best at temperatures around 80 degrees. It will rise more
slowly at temperatures below 70 degrees.
