New Starter

[PrincessFiona60]

He told me that he was not a picky eater when I met him. I've added it to the long list:

I'll call you in the city.
The check's in the mail.
I'm not a picky eater..

The list goes on and on.

I love rye bread AND corn beef.

Well now I know what not to serve and what to serve on (this here ) if you guys ever come to visit.

 

[Addie]

Well now I know what not to serve and what to serve on (this here ) if you guys ever come to visit.

I love to mash all my veggies toether with a big heap of butter.

 

[Claire]

I had to give up on any kind of sourdough starter, much as I love the stuff. It was in Hawaii, where we had no A/C (didn't need it, the weather was, in fact, perfect 90% of the time). How, you might ask, did this become a problem? You cannot really seal a starter in an air-tight container, it needs the air to "work". Anytime I loosely covered it, I'd start a colony of fruit flies (or whatever the heck they were). Eventually, husband and I decided to buy bread. The one thing I miss living in small town midwest, though, is really good, really sour, sour-dough!

 

[Addie]

I had to give up on any kind of sourdough starter, much as I love the stuff. It was in Hawaii, where we had no A/C (didn't need it, the weather was, in fact, perfect 90% of the time). How, you might ask, did this become a problem? You cannot really seal a starter in an air-tight container, it needs the air to "work". Anytime I loosely covered it, I'd start a colony of fruit flies (or whatever the heck they were). Eventually, husband and I decided to buy bread. The one thing I miss living in small town midwest, though, is really good, really sour, sour-dough!

Claire, they were fruit flies if you were using a fruit for your starter.
My granddaughter was with me while I was shopping in Walgreens. I use a moderately priced shampoo. She was showing me all the ones that smell like different fruits. By the time we go up to the register, I told her I didn't want to go through life smelling like a fruit bowl with a cloud of fruit flies buzzing above my head. The cashier heard me and lost control. She was laughing so hard, she couldn't do her job. Her superivsor came over and told her to go into the back room and get herself together. He asked me what happened. I told him and he started laughing. At least he understood and the girl didn't get into too much trouble.

 

[FrankZ]

I disagree with the notion that a starter can't be in a container with a sealed lid. My starter sits in a gladware (or ziplock or store brand) container and when feeling particularly perky it will pop the lid off. This new one has not, but the lid does bulge up quite a bit before I get to feeding time.

Other than the scheduling (feeding at 12 hours) this is not a difficult process and once you have it running well and decide to refrigerate it you can go to biweekly or a monthly feeding (just don't miss a month cause then you get to see how easy a new starter is to start )

 

[Addie]

I disagree with the notion that a starter can't be in a container with a sealed lid. My starter sits in a gladware (or ziplock or store brand) container and when feeling particularly perky it will pop the lid off. This new one has not, but the lid does bulge up quite a bit before I get to feeding time.

Other than the scheduling (feeding at 12 hours) this is not a difficult process and once you have it running well and decide to refrigerate it you can go to biweekly or a monthly feeding (just don't miss a month cause then you get to see how easy a new starter is to start )

The very first time I decided to make my own starter, I foolishly used a container that was way to small. Imagine my surprise when it turned into THE BLOB! It had grown out of the container and was finding its way across the counter top.

 

[Claire]

OK, so they weren't fruit flies .. they were miniscule flies of some sort.

When I used a sealed baggie or Tupperware-type product, the seal would pop open after a few hours, then the bugs would invade. We had to give up on making bread anyway, but this was just one of many reasons.

 

[FrankZ]

Yeah.. I remember doing that. I used to use a bread maker and found an starter for it. It used yeast in the starter and the directions said "in a 4 quart jar" and the ingredients were a packet of yeast, a cup of flour, a cup of water and a teaspoon of sugar. I made it and went to bed. Kathleen gets up to make breakfast and found it all over the counter (I used a quart jar).

 

[Addie]

Yeah.. I remember doing that. I used to use a bread maker and found an starter for it. It used yeast in the starter and the directions said "in a 4 quart jar" and the ingredients were a packet of yeast, a cup of flour, a cup of water and a teaspoon of sugar. I made it and went to bed. Kathleen gets up to make breakfast and found it all over the counter (I used a quart jar).

Thanks Frank. At least I know I am not the only one. My jar was one cup. If I ever try it again, I will use a gallon jug.

 

[FrankZ]

Why do directions say a 4 quart jar instead of a gallon?

 

[Addie]

Why do directions say a 4 quart jar instead of a gallon?

When I see "four quart jar", I see a gallon jug. Maybe someone doesn't know what a four quart jar turns into.

 

[FrankZ]

This was before the Noon feeding today. It looks like it is getting close to doubling. The lid was bulged pretty good so that is a good sign. It is starting to smell right too.

 

[Kathleen]

Well now I know what not to serve and what to serve on (this here ) if you guys ever come to visit.

That will work PERFECTLY!!!

When I see "four quart jar", I see a gallon jug. Maybe someone doesn't know what a four quart jar turns into.

I thought it was overly optimistic! Little did I know!

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Thanks Frank. At least I know I am not the only one. My jar was one cup. If I ever try it again, I will use a gallon jug.

Now you know why I call mine Audrey 2...it's a monster!!!!!

 

[PrincessFiona60]

That will work PERFECTLY!!!

See...I play attention!

 

[Kathleen]

Most impressive.

 

[FrankZ]

I am giving this starter a go today. It is doubling (just) in the container so I will try to make a round for dinner tomorrow. It is in a bowl and rising.

I will report back when I decide if this is actually going to work or not.

 

[FrankZ]

I meant to get back to this and then didn't.

The round turned out ok, though I damn near destroyed the dough getting it out of the brotform. Ugh.. stuck to it like white on rice. The flavor was good though, the bread was ugly.

Today I have some sandwich bread rising, so we will see how that goes. The starter is pretty much tripling in the bowl so it has gumption.

I have done a final storage feed and moved it to the fridge for now. If this bread does well I can start the periodic feedings and make SD when I wish.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Do you need a whip and chair when you approach the starter?

 

[FrankZ]

Do you need a whip and chair when you approach the starter?

Sometimes you make me laugh... this is one of those times.