wild yeast? starters? What is a good plan of action?

[fontzmark]

I was wondering if anyone has a working plan for making bread daily using a starter? I have been researching this a lot lately and want to start making my own starter without using commercial yeast. Can anyone explain the process.....how much to use for actual bread making....how much and when to feed it....how and where to store it. I kinda have a plan, but would like to hear from some people who actually do it everday and know what they are doing.

[momoreg]

I highly recommend Nancy Silverton's Bread book. There is an excellent starter in there, that uses grapes, flour, and water. There is also a detailed explanation of the process.

[thebighat]

I found Peter Reinhart's Crust and Crumb to be a good source. I read Silverton's chapter on starting a starter and got way too confused. Reinhart's uses organic raisins, organic whole wheat flour, and spring water. After a couple of days you can wean it onto conventional bread flour. Mine is now almost two years old and will survive months in the refrigerator and yet will wake up quickly with just a couple of feedings. My starter at work sits all winter and is still viable comr spring.I make this bread, he calls it barm, a lot during the country club season and it's very easy to get into a rhythym of making a leaven sponge, feeding the starter and taking yesterday's leaven sponge to make a dough for tomorrow's bread and baking the dough you made yesterday. I always retard the bread because I like the little blisters on the crust. Daniel Wing's book The Bread Builder's also has a lot of info about what's going on in the starter culture.

[Kimmie]

When Nancy Silverton did an appearance on Master Chefs with Julia Child on PBS, think it was in 1993, I tried her method. My starter is about 7 years old and still ticking.

Of course, I was compelled to purchase her book "Breads from the La Brea Bakery" published later, in 1996.

Can't help but strongly recommend Nancy Silverton for this. I found her explanations quite clear. But of course, I had taped the show some years earlier, which helped a lot too!

[ March 14, 2001: Message edited by: Kimmie ]

[thebighat]

It doesn't really matter what medium you use to get the organisms to get the culture going, I guess. Grapes, or raisins, as long as you understand what's going on in the culture and can manipulate it to get the results you want and that work fits into your day. Reinhart's method is elegantly simple. I found Silverton's to be too complex for my ADD-addled brain. And the point about the culture surviving 4 or months neglected is that once established, they are almost impossible to kill. If you have a good strong culture it will take care of you.

[kokopuffs]

My breadbaking experience started by using the book entitled ULTIMATE BREAD by Treuille and Ferrigno. Very simply laid out, very easy to understand. They took the 1, 2, 3 approach: 1 cup of water, 2 tsps of yeast and 3 cups of flour for nearly all of their recipes. Each one involves using a starter, called a poolish. Very good book that includes instructive photos, too.

[ March 15, 2001: Message edited by: kokopuffs ]

I just joined ChefTalk and read your requist on 5/8/01. If you go to Yahoo then typ in sourdough you can get all the info neaded.

Juhuuu, I can share my starter recipe.Well, I'm just always amazed how this thing works.I think it's what you'd call Alaska starter:
2 cups mashed potatoes, warm
2 cups unbleached flour (though many people claim whole wheat works best I've had my best results w/ normal)
2 tbsp. sugar
potato water to make a thick-pudding-like consistence
Mix everything, be sure to use a large! glass or bowl and don't be tempted to add too much water.It should be really only pudding like.Let the stuff stand on a warm place (shelf over heater probably) for three days, stirring every day.Then it should be ready but it will be really sour only after one week or so.
Did you know you can substitute yeast in any recipe w/ one cup starter for on packet yeast?Rising times will increase but sometimes you happen to create great new breads with this method!

[kokopuffs]

BigHat:

I'm on the verge of purchasing ARTISAN BAKING ACROSS AMERICA. The book gives directions on making starters. Are those directions on starters adequate for this budding bread baker?

[thebighat]

I think Peter Reinhart's book Crust and Crumb is better for sourdough, but I've made a lot of breads from Artisan Breads and her instructions are great. She does tell you how to convert a refrigerated sourdough culture to her formulas. But Reinhart has an elegantly simple method of growing one that takes less than a week.

[Kimmie]

Yes, you can feed it twice a day instead of three times. Then, keep in the fridge until you are ready to use.

Remember, you can also dry it, store it and revive it again. I think it's also explained in the book.

[ June 18, 2001: Message edited by: Kimmie ]

[KyleW]

Thanx Kimmie
One more question (for now), If I use a cup of the starter and I relace it with 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of water, can i just stir it into the remaining starter and return it to the fridge?

[Kimmie]

Hi KyleW,

No. Just leave in it in the fridge, well covered.

Before using your starter again to make more bread, it is a good idea to give it the full 3-day feeding schedule to strenghten it and to tone down excess sourness. It is then ready to use.

So, three days before you plan to make bread, and since you may have only 1 cup of starter left, you will proceed as follows:

Day one: Feed your starter with ½ cup of water (tepid) and ½ cup of white bread flour, blending well. Let stand uncovered at room temperature until it bubbles up — 3 or 4 hours — then cover and refrigerate.

Day two: Repeat the feeding, this time adding 1 cup of water (tepid) and 1 cup of white bread flour, blending well. Let stand uncovered at room temperature until it bubbles up — 3 or 4 hours — then cover and refrigerate.

Day three: Repeat the feeding (adding 1 cup of water (tepid) and 1 cup of white bread flour) and blend well. Let stand uncovered at room temperature until it bubbles up — 3 or 4 hours — then cover and refrigerate.

Day four: Take your starter out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature. Then you can start your bread.

Store the rest of your starter in a tightly covered container where it will keep perfectly 4 to 6 months — after which time it is a good idea to pour off all but 2 cups and give it another feeding.


NOTE: Always bring the starter to room temperature before using.

[ June 18, 2001: Message edited by: Kimmie ]

[KyleW]

I think I got it. Refeed the whole thing, use what you need and refridgerate the res. The next time, repeat the whole process.\
Thankx Kimmie

[kokopuffs]

Kimmie: is it okay to do your procedure in a Mason jar with the top ajar while bubbling?

Is it okay to store the starter in a Mason jar tightly closed?