Sourdough starter is...sort of this goopy bacterial culture/flour/water mix. It's the bacteria that make the sour taste (whatever they're putting off when they munch the flour), and so you keep a container of the stuff in the fridge and feed it at least every two weeks, and give it a name because you're together for the long haul. Mine is Lucinda, daughter of Elmer, who is matociquala's sourdough starter (Lucinda also has one child, who belongs to ksumnersmith). I think the original that the Line of Elmer goes back to came to North America on the Mayflower or something. *g*
I get the feeling this is generally how you get one: when you feed your starter it expands, so you either use half of it for bread or you section it off and give it to someone else (baby starter). You can also try to capture wild yeasts and make your own starter, but that's harder. But they are purchasable on the internets, and the bread is wonderful.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2008-07-26 03:41 pm (UTC)I get the feeling this is generally how you get one: when you feed your starter it expands, so you either use half of it for bread or you section it off and give it to someone else (baby starter). You can also try to capture wild yeasts and make your own starter, but that's harder. But they are purchasable on the internets, and the bread is wonderful.