Sourdough Starter Care
(Instructions for those with whom I have shared my sourdough starter)
According to sourdough starter lore, sourdough starter is something to be shared
with family and friends.
They say that the starter actually should become a part of your family.
With tender loving care you will be able to make all sorts of things with it,
bread, waffles, crackers etc.
This particular starter has been with our family for over 50 years.
I started it in California from an article that appeared in Sunset magazine.
Following the directions in the Sunset magazine, I collected wild yiest in our
back yard in Los Gatos, California and this starter was born. I gave the starter a female name, since I have four sons and this was to be my pseudo daughter.
As we have moved, this starter has traveled from the East Coast to
the West Coast several times. I have shared this starter with many friends,
quite a few of whom have adopted it as part of their family.
Please give your starter a name and enjoy it!
If you like this starter make it part of
your family's tradition
It is best to maintain your starter in a clean quart canning jar each time you
refresh and use it. Glass is preferable to plastic.
To refresh the starter:
Put 1/3 cup of "old" starter in the bottom of a quart jar and add ½ cup of water.
Stir to dissolve the starter.
Now add 1 cup of bread flour and stir.
You should now have a very thick mixture.
(It's probably best if you stir with a wooden spoon rather than metal.)
Leave the jar on the counter for about 8 hours or more.
(I usually do it overnight.)
The starter has now been refreshed and ready to work (to make bread, waffles, etc) or
if you are not ready to use it, you can put it in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
Each time you use the starter you must keep some to maintain and make more starter.
When you take the starter out of the fridge, let it come to room temp before using it.
If the weather is warm, the starter works much faster.
Joan Galbi